Awakening
by Scattershot98
Summary: Following the revelations of Erens Basement, the people of the walls prepare to face the true enemy across the seas. But in order to do so, they will have to ask for help from a former comrade, now traitor. But little do they know that they are not the only ones ready to rebel.
1. Permission

**Alright guys, I have a new story that will take place in the main continuity of AoT. Everything that's happened up to chapter 94 will be canon of course, and this will be an AnniexEren story where she awakens during the 4 year timeskip. Not going to be exactly as the story is, but will have my predictions and hopes for the new chapters. Will have all the same deaths and main characters, and hopefully you guys enjoy what I (hope) predict might have happened during those 4 tears on Paradise. Will have Marley and Eldians, so be warned if your not a Manga reader like I am.**

Deep underground, a group of soldiers and the queen of Paradise island stood in front of a massive crystal. Historia Reiss was among her friends and comrades from the 104th, or those who were still alive after the retake operation of Wall Maria nearly a month ago. Among them was the current Commander of the Survey Corps, Zoë Hange, and humanities strongest, Levi Ackerman. Also present were the two shifters on the side of the humanity, Eren Jaeger and the new Colassal Titan, Armin Arlert.

Eren took a deep breath and stepped forward to address his friends and family, who waited in silence and curiosity as to why they were all here.

"I know that we've all faced and learned alot in this past month.But I do have some good news, I think I know how we can reach out and speak to Annie. If it goes the way me and Armin plan, I'll be able to talk to her in there. If I can get her to come out, we have a chance to bring her over to our side. It's certainly worth the effort if we can get her to fight with us. You all know how skilled she was, as a soldier and as a titan."

His friends all stiffen at the last sentence, but his sister and captain Levi glare at the girl in question more than the rest. Hange stepped forward to ease some of the tension by asking Eren how. "As optimistic as that sounds, we've already tried everything Eren. But nothing we have can penetrate her crystal, we know you're hardening ability can break it, but we risk killing her as well."

"Your absolutely correct Commander, but that only proves that we can't break it _with force._ And all attempts to talk to her have been unsuccessful because most likely she can't hear us inside, so we have to use a way to talk with her in there. And what Eren's revealed to us along with all we learned in the basement may yet give us a chance." Armin told her, his voice keeping level despite all eyes now on him. But where he would once be afraid of being in the center of attention, there was only cool focus. In other words, he had changed.

The whole incident with his near death experience, the sealing of both gates, eating Bertoldt and becoming a shifter himself all hardened him to the world around him. He'd always known it was a cruel one, but back then he'd been too weak to make a difference. Now, he had the _power_ to do so. And he was ready to _use it._

Trost, the 57th expedition, the Clash with Reiner and Bertoldt, the uprising against the false king all gave him strength to become a true soldier. He thought back to what brought them all here, the idea that Armin himself contributed to with his newly inherited memories.

" _I think I have something Armin. Why don't we talk to someone who knows them better than we do? Why don't we try and talk to Annie?"_

Eren had told his childhood friend how he came up with the idea at the beach. It had been on his mind since their visit from it, and had only been fueled by the hope that rose when they saw the endless waves of salt water. Armin had been reluctant to even give it deep thought, still struggling to accept what he was at the time, but Eren had helped him adjust. He couldn't ignore him, because he knew Eren had always been there for him, along with Mikasa. And so as he put his mind to it, they both came up with a way to try and wake the comatose girl.

Eren began, taking care to keep his voice calm and steady like his friend. "It's simple enough, we have to convince her to come out by talking to her _in there._ From what me and Armin came up with, the founding titan power I have can only be used near or with royal blood. That means that the only people who can truly use its power would be you Historia, and the Beast Titan, _Zeke_ _Jaeger._ "

A few gasps are made, from the few soldiers who didn't know the identity of the mysterious shifter that slaughtered nearly every scout during the retake mission.

"Since we can't risk the Marley gaining this power, that leaves only you, your majesty. We can't have you eating one of us either, because the power would drive you mad. So what we surmised is that we use a vial of your blood to activate it, and speak to her with it's mental ability. We just need your permission, Queen Historia."

All eyes are now one the queen, who stays silent as she looks at him, Armin, and finally to the blonde girl encased in blue crystal. _'Why are they asking me, if it would help then I should do it right? It could only help right?.. Isn't a queen supposed to help her people?'_ Her internal debate ends, and sighing she tells the pair of anxious shifters.

"If you truly believe _she_ can help, then I suppose it couldn't hurt to try. I'll give you your sample. But remember Eren, if she can't be coerced or trusted, you know what will happen to her." Eren nods slowly, taking the Queen's grave words to heart. Bowing his head at her, he gives her his appreciation.

"Thank you, Historia. I understand. And I promise it won't hurt, since we only need a little bit of it to try." Eren again bows his head, but he has a tingle of fear that she knows the _other reason he wants to talk to her._

During their time together in the uprising against the monarchy, they'd spent quite alot of time isolated with no one to talk to but each other. In that time they'd talked about some of the best and worst moments of their lives so far, where Eren finally confessed to her about Annie, and she about Ymir. He knew that there was a thing between them, but what he _hadn't_ expected was that she also felt something for _Reiner_ as well.

He'd been angry that's she felt something for him even after the betrayel they faced only a few weeks before, but she reminded him about Stohess. He'd tried to avoid talking about _her_ , but Historia told what she heard from Armin and Mikasa. About how he couldn't find the will to fight her, about how even in his Berserker state that _she_ brought him his humanity back. He still tried to deny it, but then she claimed she saw it since their cadet days.

He couldn't deny anything Historia said after, because it was _the truth_. He learned that she noticed he and Annie trained together more than anyone else, even after the drills. She'd even seen her smile for him a few times after their sweat filled spars, that usually ended with him on the ground. She had also been close by and overheard when Annie had _flirted_ in her own way to Eren, before his (over) protective sister threw Reiner in between them.

She called him out on being no better than her, for still loving those who turned out to be the enemy. And he finally confessed to her, his pain and grievance being filled with angry tears at what the Titan trio had done. But after everything Eren and the rest learned, both of their attitudes towards the person they craved changed.

He'd had his world shaken to hear and picture what Annie, Reiner and Bertoldt were all put through in becoming "warriors". Since Armin had inherited Bert's memories, he became more depressed knowing the horrors that happen right now across that ocean he once waited so long to see. But now, now he only saw the enemy, the tragedy that the Eldians faced all because of a lie.

The greatest lie ever told because it forced them to feel guilt _for nothing_ , to kill their own race, to serve without question in fear of their families being taken from them. All because of _them_ , all because of the selfish and evil people of Marley.

 _Marley._ Eren _hated_ the word, and despised them the same way he did the Titans. After all, they were the bastards who made the ones on this godforsaken island they called "Paradise", ironically enough. He learned that his own father had tried to rise against them after seeing through their lies, being forced to accept his own sisters (his aunt's) brutal death over nothing.

But had failed when he tried to send his son to infiltrate them and bring the power back to the good people of Eldia. That his own half brother sold them out to the very monsters who hated him and his race, who sent his own parents to hell. All because he believed the lies of a people that was evil even before the Titan power came into this world.

But no longer, they all now knew who the enemy was, and had a fair idea where they were across that beautiful ocean. And they knew they would have to face and fight them, to free their people. Rise up and strike the real devils down for the atrocities they committed, and restore balance and peace to the world. And to do that, they would need her help. The one they had once called comrade, soldier, and for him _love_ , would help determine their future.

They knew they had the odds stacked against them with only two Titans, technically 3, since two of them resided in Eren. But having another of the 9, and one with the skill, the knowledge of the enemy, being sent by them in fact could greatly tip the odds in their favor. They would need the help of the infamous Female Titan, Annie Leonhardt. The girl who sealed herself away from the world she seemed to hate, but understood all too well.

The person they hoped to speak to in a few moments, as Queen Historia gave the necessary component to make this all possibly work. The royal blood line, which ran in only two people, one the enemy, the other a close friend and fair ruler to her people. The very blood that once ran in the veins of Ymir Fritz, the first person to gain the Titan power after discovering the source of all organic life.

The woman who used its power to shape and build most of the known world for 13 years. Then the power was split among 9 shifters, who lived in stable peace. But Marley stole 4 of the 9, and the 145th king abandoned his own race for a delusion of peace. Not by signing a deal with the devil, not an "ethnic cleansing" as the Marley heavily spread as propoganda to guilt the Eldians they imprisoned.

All _lies._

The blood that may help them talk to and awaken the girl from her crystal sleep.

It was time to fight back.


	2. Memories

**Alright, glad to see a few reviews barely a day after I published. Now I won't stop writing my other story, but this will be the ereannie story I wish to see when we finally return to see the people of Paradise. The method they will try to use to awaken her is what I think will be the way they possibly recruit her. Some characters might seem a little ooc but I'll try my best to write them the way we all know. Let us begin.**

Eren held the delicate vial of blood in his hands with uptmost care, to him it was a way to Annie herself. Someone he missed for so long, who he had so many questions to ask, questions that kept him up at night. Because he thought he would never get to ask them, or even talk to her ever again.

He brought it closer to his chest, and in the back of his mind he could feel that same tingle, like the lightning just before it struck him to create the Titan. Hopefully, it meant _it was working._

Placing both of his hands and forehead against the crystal, and closing his eyes, he called out mentally with the most determined voice he could muster.

' _Annie. Please I want to talk"_

He was met by nothing but silence for a few moments, and was afraid that it was a bust. But he still felt that tingle, only now it felt...' _colder_ , but somehow _stronger_?'. Did that mean he's connected with her mind? If he is, then why was she silent?

His answer was an image that faded into view, and he watched with anticipation as it became...Annie. But unlike the Annie he knew, this Annie was much younger, maybe 8 years old. She still wore her white hoodie that became iconic about her. Something else she wore as well, on her left arm stood a band with some sort of star on it.

He knew from the what Armin saw in Bertold, as well as what he could remember from his father's memories, that this was the symbol used to identify Eldians under Marley rule. He looked and noticed they sat in a darkened room, a window showing that they were in a cabin of some sort from the trees that stood outside.

She was apparently alone, sitting there on a bed repeating a few words under her breath. Eren stepped forward to try and hear them, and began to understand what she said.

"... _Find the coordinate, kill the Marley, find the coordinate kill the Marley, find the coordinate kill the Marley, find the-"_

His hopes began to rise as he heard them repeat themselves, ' _She hated them too? Did she know the truth? Does that mean-'_

"Annie!"

Eren heard a man's voice call out for her, and she stopped, looking frightened. It was almost unnerving to see such an expression on her face, he'd never seen her look afraid. Not when they faced the harsh training as cadets, and not even when they confronted her in Stohess after the 57th expedition. No he hadnt seen fear, nor much of any emotion on her human face, but he had seen it on her Titans face.

Twice he had seen it, in the forest when he roared at her face in anger when he pinned her down. The second time he barely remembered, was when he went berserk inside Stohess. Her face as he chased her down, and when she tried to rise when she fell for the last time. He didn't remember too much of it, but _he_ _does remember nearly killing her, but stopped when he saw her face._

It was then that he knew exactly what he had felt for the girl, even now as a traitor. He emerged from his titan after she sealed herself nearly with him, and seen her decapitated titan head where it had been thrown. It was a broken face, one of the most scared faces he'd ever seen, lined with all the damage he had done to it with _his hands._

He was a little horrified by his actions, but he was too hurt by her betrayel that he didn't really think about it till much after. So to see that same amount of fear on her face _now_ shook him, the only thing keeping him stable was the realization that this was probably a memory. _Her memory._

The place changed, now he was no longer in the cabin. Now he stood in a classroom of some sorts, where he saw maybe 30 children all between 7 and 10 years old. He was startled to see Bertoldt near Annie, who seemed to be taking some sort of written test. Behind her however was a face that brought anger to his mind, anger that ebbed away as he saw the expression on it as well.

 _It was Reiner_.

The blonde boy who would become the Armored Titan sat there looking absolutely terrified, ' _but of what?_ ' Eren asked himself. He got closer and could barely hear his frantic mumblings _"...loyal to Marley, kill the island devils.."_ At this Eren's temper again rose, but once again the background changed. Now they all were outside in some sort of camp.

Annie was near Bertoldt and Reiner, who was on the floor looking ready to cry. They all looked a few years older, nearly the same age he was when the attack. Reiner had been saying something to Bert about loyalty, and they asked Annie about it.

She blew them off by merely stating she hadn't been listening, though he knew she had, and didn't want to _state her loyalty_. She started to jog away from them, urging them to follow.

 _'So was she never loyal to them even then? And that look, I've seen it before.'_

It was the same one she wore when they had first talked to each other. The same look when she told him the harsh truth of their combat training being worthless, that those with the best rank would be farther away from the Titans. He hadn't realized till a few minutes after that she was right.

They'd all been honing their skills to _run_ , not to fight back. It was an eye opener for him, and was one of the first things that got his interest in her. That and the move she used to not only flip himself but Reiner as well, which he would later _impress her_ with when _he_ used it on Jean.

He remembered her later talking to him on using it before she actually _smiled_ , and offered to teach him how to do it properly. He had denied at first, but over time he accepted her offer. Their training got more and more intense as they began to grow closer as comrades, even more as friends. But at times their spars got a little _close, and others noticed_ , like when Mikasa threw Reiner at them. He knew she never liked Annie to begin with, but it got worse when Eren began to prefer training with _her_ than with his own sister.

It was her training that helped him last against her in the forest and in Stohess, and against Reiner, but he had a feeling there was something else. He knew how deadly she could be in hand to hand, but he now saw that she never _actually attacked him first._ Sure she had always preferred to be on the defensive when she taught him, but now it almost seemed like she _held back_ on him both times. In the forest he was too enraged at the Female Titan to notice, but in the city she had fled first instead of snatching him when she had the chance.

He remembered her bashing his skull in when he had locked jaws on her leg, how she screamed in pain as she tried to pull it away. And finally the blow that got it free, how she looked at him afterwards. She had the perfect chance to take him, he had nothing left, his body was missing half it's limbs, and she was still whole. She chose _not_ to capture him, instead just trying to leave as she had before. Now it prompted the question of whether or not _she was committed in her mission at all._

The area changed yet again, and he now was watching the sky grow farther away. _'Shes falling'_ he realizes, and sees flashes of a man holding her, _her father,_ crying with her. Glimpses of her memories, from both their last fight, and most likely the day she left Marley to retrieve the coordinate.

" _I'm so sorry, I don't expect you to forgive me.._ _but please. Please just-"_

He feels her smack against the ground, and hears _himself_ screeching as he pounces and bites her shoulder.

He still hears her father's words as well, loud and clear as she feels her head and arm get severed.

" _Stand your ground. Stand your ground even if the whole world stands against you!"_

He could hear his own voice too, realizing he had channeled his thoughts into her head when he attacked. He was actually frightened at what he didn't remember saying, and knew she was feeling the same.

 _"I'LL DESTROY THE WHOLE FUCKING WORLD!!!!"_

He hears her father again, " _They'll despise you, they won't understand. But I will, your dad always will! Promise me you'll return, that's all I ask."_

Eren sees himself ripping away her nape, growling " _THIS IS FREEDOM!!!"_ and stop as he sees her crying face. But before he sees what happens next it fades quickly, much to his confusion. He looks around and sees only darkness, which unnerves him.

'Is _this what she sees now, inside her "prison"?'_ His thought are interrupted by a voice, cold but familiar that calls out to him from behind his back.

" _Why are you here?"_

He whirls around to see Annie standing there, looking just like the last time he saw her. The white hoodie and Military police uniform still in place, and her face looking just as bored as it ever did. The only difference was her eyes, they looked at him in surprise, perhaps she never expected to see him in here. He knew the feeling as well and yet here he stood, in her consciousness.

He struggles to find words, it had been so long since he'd actually heard her voice, or seen her face. She got annoyed at his silence.

" _Why are you here? How did you even get in here?"_ Her tone strikes his temper, and he does his best to collect himself before he speaks to her.

" _I came to talk to you. I finally thought of a way to do so, and I wanted to try."_

She smirks at his answer and replies " _Oh really? You came up with it all by yourself, or you have Armin do it for you?"_

He narrows his eyes at her, and fires back with a bit of bite. " _Yeah he helped, but_ I _was the one who thought of it, as well as the only one capable of trying. You know I'm not an idiot"_

She gives another smirk " _No, I guess you weren't in that sense. But you were rash and suicidal in what you wanted that you didn't always think straight._ "

She had him there, but that _was_ the way he was _before_ he learned and experienced all he had in the past few months. He'd matured quite a bit, learning to keep his anger and rage in check.

" _True but things have changed quite a lot. Including_ _me."_

 _"Really? How can I be so sure of that?"_ she asks, not trusting him. He persists.

 _"How about we talk and find out?"_

She considers it, before replying in her usual monotone " _Fine_ , _but no lies. Agreed?"_

He chuckles a little, " _Fine. But that goes for us both."_


	3. Options

**Ah the moment is finally here. Eren talking to Annie inside the crystal. Hopefully I get their personality as right as I can, I always found their "relationship" quite interesting even if it wasn't fully shown in the Anime. They are my Otp so forgive me if some parts seem a bit _much_. Drop a review and tell me your thoughts. Let us begin.**

" _So_ _you came to talk? That's it?"_ Annie questions him, and she watches Eren stare at her for a moment before he closes his eyes for a moment.

" _Yes, that's part of why I'm here. I also..wanted to try and see if you could come out. Like I said before, things have changed alot since you went to sleep. I think if you were to wake it would not only be helpful for us, but for yourself as well."_

She stares at him for a moment, and decides to ask him about this "change".

" _So what has happened since I've gone to sleep? Did you ever reach your basement?"_

He nods, and there's a faraway look in his eyes as he talks. " _Yes, we got there after we took back Wall Maria. I learned the hardening ability and used it to seal both gates. And I learned about what's on the other side of the ocean, Annie. Where you came from, how we both got our powers, and who the real enemy is."_

She appears surprised at this last remark, and decides to probe further into it. " _So you learned about them, haven't you? And from what I observed you watching, you know how I feel towards them?"_

His eyes light up as she says this, and he gets closer to where she stands. She doesn't move, and she can see that fire in his eyes. " _Please tell me that it's true, that you hate them. That you hate the Marley, and want to destroy them like I do!"_ She tilts her head at his insistent words, and questions him.

" _And if I do? It's not like we can do much against them except survive on this "Paradise" King Fritz created for our kind. They have too many of the powers Eren, surely you know this."_

At this rather demoralizing recap, she's actually surprised to see him give her a _smile._ The same determined smile he gave when they trained together, back in their training days. The smile he would give when he got back up after getting knocked down for the dozenth time, or when he managed to use a move she taught him successfully against her.

" _Oh there's no denying that Annie, your right. They do have **some** of the powers, but if you were to join us, then we would have 4 of them. And they're ones that can give us the edge to win."_

Her eyes widen slightly at his words, and she presses on harder for more information. ' _Can_ _he be telling the truth? Does he perhaps have... **the one I was sent here for?'**_

 _"Which ones do you have, and who else has them? Do you know how to use them correctly?"_ Just like when she would give him instructions on how to perform a set of takedowns, that he would attempt till he got it right. He nodded a bit and her hope began to rise, and she waits for him.

 _"I have the Attack Titan, and because of...what my father did, I also have the founding Titan. And I have used it, it's how I'm talking to you now."_

Her heart skips a beat, 'So _he_ _knows how to use it. And if he were to be set against the Marley with the Titans under his control, then they will burn. All of them, it's a guarantee. Of all the people who can have the coordinate it had to be him. The one person who should never have it in Marleys eyes, and the savior of our people in mine. His anger for the Titans made him into the person he is now, and if he knows all this, then-'_

But her thoughts of rebellion are interrupted by the realization that he only told her _two_ of the powers, so ' _who has the third?'_ As she asks him about this, his eyes get a little downcast, and he looks at the "ground" before replying " _Armin. He's now a shifter as well, he got his power about a month ago. He...he nearly died, but we had a vial of the serum and..he ate Bertoldt."_

Annie is shocked, ' _Of all people to be given the power, much less such a strong and effective one, it was Armin who got it? And Bertoldt...'_ Her thoughts change as she thinks of the tall quiet warrior from the Liberio Ghetto.

He hadn't been overly dedicated in their mission like Reiner was when they first started, but he had known his place in it. He had been the one who stayed the most level headed during all of it, since Reiner began to get blurred at times about what he was. She wasn't dedicated at all to serving the Marley, but she never let it show to her fellow shifters, nor to their oppressers. She had her own mission, and wasn't going to let it show until she could pull it off.

Bertoldt hadn't always been the most outspoken, but perhaps he felt deep down what they did was wrong. After all he did begin the Trost invasion, only to break a little when the incident with Marco happened. Marco. She thought about the poor freckled boy who happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, even if it was Reiner and Bert's fault for _openly_ speaking about their plans

She hadnt been able to do anything, since he did hear too much. Reiner had blackmailed her to where her loyalties lay, whether her father and her were different from "the island demons." as he had said back in Marley. She struggled with one of the hardest decisions she ever made that day.

She had to be seen as one of them, a warrior, just like they all had infiltrated the 104th to be seen _as one of them_ , soldiers. She couldn't do anything, as much as wanted to let the boy go. But it wasn't her decision to make, not fully. None of them could or else they and their families back home would be used for _bombardment_.

That was the biggest threat the Marley used to keep Eldian children in the warrior program, aside from being turned into mindless and set loose on Paradise. It was a fate the cruel bastards had seen fit to emphasize when a recruit would begin to crumble or shown to waver in loyalties. So she had no choice than to doom the good hearted boy to his own death by being bitten in half. She'd cried during it, hating Reiners words as she and them left Marco to be killed.

That was one of the moments that defined who she was, what her mission was. And then to hear Reiner falter _with his own fucking mind_ about who he was as he watched in genuine horror at what happened next, it was almost too much. She never wanted to kill him more than she did at that moment. The hypocritical bastard who just forced her to kill a friend of theirs not even being _properly sane_ pushed her into a dark place that day.

And after the boulder was placed by Eren, all she could do was apologize. Even if it meant and did nothing to the corpses of people she once fought or trained with, including a "friend" of hers, Mina. Mina had been in Eren's squad when they were nearly wiped out near the start of the battle, and she had heard Eren once crying as he talked with Armin about her death. Though she didn't really talk to or know the girl, Mina had always made an effort to try and talk with Annie. From small talk to girlish things, she always had asked Annie her opinion.

She looked to Eren and answered his question more directly. " _Yes I hate them, I hate them more than you do the Titans. But that doesn't change what my situation is. I can't escape from my shell without being struck down as a traitor. As much as I would like to help you Eren, I can't do much if I die. If that power goes to one of the Eldians back home who believe the lies, then you truly have no chance of winning."_

Eren walks up to her and tries to plead with her some more. " _What if I could get them to not attack you? Your right, most of them do hate you for what you've done, even if I tell them why. But there's no way they can deny the advantage and help you could give to us. If I could convince them to trust you, would you wake up and fight?_

 _I won't bother trying lying about them ever seeing you the same way they did years ago, but I can promise to get them to listen. Please Annie, just put your trust in me. Otherwise we won't ever get anywhere, here or in Marley. Our race will suffer if we do nothing Annie, just like humanity did when we refused to fight the Titans._

 _We always had the odds against us, but we got through them. We've done the impossible enough to know we only have to try, or else we'll never truly know. We took back Wall Maria, we overthrew the monarchy with Historia. We killed Bertoldt..and almost took out Reiner and Zeke. We learned about the Marley thanks to my father, and now we have a chance Annie._

 _A chance to win, Annie, to free ourselves. Are you willing to take it with us, or are you just gonna stay asleep till you pass in a few years and let it all be for nothing?"_

Eren asks as he finishes his little speech, and she knows how desperate he is if he's trying this hard with her.

He sounded even more heartspoken than when he tried to get her to follow him in Stohess, how hard he wanted to believe that she was a good person. She knows then that he nearly was in tears when she decided to not follow him down, but here now she could see that his emotions were still a part of him, just controlled. He learned what he needed to do in order to survive, to fight, to win. He really had changed from the hot head who had the death wish from back then.

Now she could actually call him a Warrior at heart. Not the meaningless title Marley used to glorify their crimes, but a person who fought for a cause that was rightous, with all their might. It heightened the respect that she already had for him back then, and she had to choose now. _'Do I do it to be a good person for him, or do I do it to be free? Or...can they be one in the same?_ '

She also him after a moment, " _Do you have that much confidence that they would accept my return?"_ His eyes perk up at her question, and he flashes her that famous Jaeger grin. " _Why don't I go find out? Do you trust me to return with an honest answer?"_ She looks at him with her head tilted, and nods after a few moments. As he turns to go, she asks him one last thing.

" _Eren in Stohess, when I was defeated and you wanted to eat me, you stopped. Why? You had the chance to do it, but you chose not to. Again Why?"_

He stopped for moment, and she saw his face look embarresed for some reason.

He tells her something she never expected " _Because even after all that happened, I still cared. I never wanted to hurt you, and I still dont want to, Annie._ " With that, she felt his mind leave her with a question. _'Why?'_


	4. Terms

**Glad to see the story getting more popular, and yeah I'm also anticipating writing for Reiners perspective as well. Will be a timeskip in it from when he first returns to he mailand, to where it currently is now with him returning to his mother with Gabi and Falco. After that it'll turn into what I hope would happen in the story, with a somewhat believable possibility. As usual drop a review, Let us Begin.**

As Eren left her mind, Annie was left to ponder his last words to her. " _Even after all that happened, I_ _still cared_ ". The thought of him _caring for her_ was not a new one, but she never put much thought into it before. Her mission and all the decisions she had to make never really allowed her time to be "normal" in her social life, or her lack of.

She did notice back then that he preferred to be with her in training, as well as the way his sister was even more overprotective when Annie was involved with something or close by. Annie herself wasn't completely innocent in that sense either. After all _she_ was the one who offered to train him, and _insisted_ on it when he denied at first. That and her talking and showing more emotion towards him might've been noticed by the others. And then there was that one time..

She smiled slightly as she remembered a day they had been training in hand to hand with rifles, when Annie tossed Eren's charge to the ground as usual. He'd scolded her about being too rough, to which her reply was for _him_ to go easy on her " _frail maiden body"_ as she put it. He told her to stop joking, and she then proceeded to _show him_ a way to take down larger opponents.

As he struggled under her close and tight lock, she had told him he needed to learn how to use his strength...and how to talk to women. She won't lie to herself by saying she didn't enjoy his company the most during those 3 years, but she is new to the concept of someone other than her father caring for her outside of friendship. She knew that Bertoldt had watched her quite alot, but he never made a move on her. And now if what Eren said was true, he never would.

In a way it's almost sad, but then she remembers how he dissociated himself from even Reiner at first when it came to completing the mission. He had been the one who wanted to begin the attack that day in Trost, and he went ahead and began the attack the day all of their "friends" were graduating. Reiner had been a little annoyed at not being told ahead of time to prepare himself mentally, and she just kept up her usual apathetic facade.

Eren telling her that he didn't want to hurt her even now, knowing full well what she was, what she has done, and still willing to look past that, was enough to surprise her. It's almost foolish, but she does enjoy that he doesn't want to hurt her. She remembered how even then he hadn't wanted to fight her in Stohess, how he didn't want to believe any of it. She'd done alot of thinking these few months, after all what else could she do in this case?

 _'If he can promise for me to not be killed immediately, I'll do it. I'll wake and fight, I'll destroy the bastards who kill and lie to our people. Just like Eren said years ago when talking about the titans, I will kill them. Every Last One.'_

As Eren opened his eyes he felt a wave of dizziness and held himself upright by grabbing onto the crystal with his right hand. Mikasa stepped forward to try and catch him, but he held up a hand to her and the rest.

"Thanks but I'm good. I'm fine, don't worry. It's already passing." Hange and Armin are the first to ask in unison the most obvious question on their minds.

" _Did it work? Did you talk to her?"_ He nods his head and sees the section leader look thrilled at new knowledge being presented to her. Armin presses on however.

"What did she say? Is she willing to cooperate, to fight?" Again Eren nods his head and goes to explain.

"Even better Armin. I saw into some of her memories, from her childhood to the last time she was awake, and then I talked to her conscious mind. She's awake, and I spent a lot of time talking to her in there, she was more open than before, believe it or not. And she is willing to help us with full trust." But a voice interrupts his talk to restate the common knowledge they have about the girl in question.

" _Really? And why should we believe anything she says now? She was a great liar before we caught her, and she still is one now."_ Mikasa interjects, her eyes still in distaste that the girl who she hated was even aware of their situation. Eren looked at her with a bit of anger, but keeps his composure.

He knew the irrational hate his sister always had for Annie even when they first met 3 years ago. But he's not going to let it destroy the progress they have made, _that he's made_ , all because of her feelings for him. Feelings he had told him when they thought they were about to die as the Smiling Titan no, _Dina_ , had torn apart Hannes like his mother the day of the fall. Feelings about her love for him, feelings she harbored since the day he gave her that scarf around her neck she still wore.

Feelings that he told her that he did not return in that way, that while he would always care for her, were only as siblings, as family. The same meaning of family that he had with Armin as well, and that those in the 104 had become a part of in their way, even Jean. Looking at his sister he tells her directly while still addressing the room, what he saw in there.

"Enough, Mikasa. Yeah we all know what she's done. I know it just as well as you do that she's done some horrible things, things I saw right in front of my eyes. But I saw her past Mikasa, I saw and felt her thoughts, her memories. _She never wanted to be our enemy from the start. She wanted to help us, our people."_ A few gasps are made as he gives this revelation, and even Levi looks less bored as he steps forward.

"Well she has an ironic way of displaying it Eren. Why don't you tell us more?" Eren nods and continues.

" _She hates the Marley_ , she always has. She joined the warrior program to not only gain a shifter power to complete her mission, but to use the Founding Titan to control all the mindless Titans here and eradicate Marley. I saw her in her home, chanting over and over "Retrieve the coordinate, kill the Marley" like a lifeline until her father called her. I saw her face change to absolute fear, and it was just like the day we fought in Stohess.

I saw her blow off Reiner and Bertoldt talk about loyalty to Marley when they were training in that program. I saw her memories the day we captured her in Stohess. I saw her leave her father, who I think might've learned the truth of what she was going to try. He didn't seem to be loyal to them either, but knew what their situation was. She struggled when she came here with them about whether she could do all this. She _will_ be on our side if we don't kill her, she's already thought about fighting with us. She's agreed to do it if we don't attack her. All I need is your word that you won't harm her if she wakes.

It all boils down to how much your willing to trust in her, and I know none of you want to after all that's happened. I wouldn't expect you to, but I want you to think of where we will be if we don't. _She knows them, she lived among them, and she wants to destroy them just like I do_. This decision is probably one of the most important we'll ever make from here on. What's it going to be?"

The atmosphere in the room thickens so much that you could practically grab it with your hand. They all discuss things kow to eah other, and Eren sees a little but if arguing between Armin, Mikasa and Connie. Historia is quietly conferring with Hange and Levi, but her expression gives him hope that she will agree, even if it comes with a few terms. Finally they all turned to face him again, and Eren saw varying expressions across all of them. Hange and Historia stepped forward first, and began.

"Alright Eren, if she comes out she will not be harmed. However we will have to keep her restrained as a precaution for a small amount of time to prepare for if she doesn't want to work with us. Now I believe what you are saying is true about her memories, but we can't guarantee that she won't retaliate against us out of revenge. She'll be kept in the same style of room you are, underground and under minor but close watch. Let her know Eren, this is a one time chance. If she betrays us again, we have no choice to imprison or kill her. Those are the terms, do you agree?"

He plays it all back in his head, including the threat of death if she turns on them again. But inwardly he smiles, because he knows it won't come that. She _will_ fight for them, with them, with _him_ against the enemy across that ocean Armin and the rest finally went to. He nods hard and is surprised to see a small smile on Historia's face as she can't fully express how happy for him that he can have Annie back. Eren promises himself inside to try and find out about Ymir, or even, no that was thinking too far ahead.

"Alright Eren, I think it's time you left to tell her. Make sure she knows _all_ the terms before she comes out, I'd hate to see our chance to gain her trust leave because you forgot something." Historia chides him, almost in the same way his mother would when he would have to be rescued by Mikasa as kids back then. He smiles a little, and nods as he turns to place his hands again on the crystal. But before he closes his eyes Mikasa steps forward, to ask to speak in private. A little irritated at being delayed during the moment of truth, he agrees and they walk out to the hallway outside of the room Annie and the rest are in.

"Eren.." She starts, but he cuts her off.

" _No_ Mikasa, I'm not going to hear about how we can't trust her, or anything negative right now. We finally have something to give us an edge and you still insist on seeing the bad, the past. What's _done is done, so why can't you just let go?_ " She looks at him with angry tears beginning to form in her eyes.

" _Why couldn't you?! Ever since we came back for the beach she's been the only thing on your mind hasn't she?_ You've been looking so hard for reasons to trust her that you never stopped to think if she changed too. Are you really prepared to have to fight her if she betrays us again?"

He takes a step forward and she crumbles a little at the anger in his eyes, it reminds her of the face his Titan made when he nearly devoured Annie in Stohess.

" _It's Not going to happen."_


	5. Hope

**Alright I will be updating this story after more writing for my main story Wings, but rest assured that this story will _never_ be forgotten. And yes I too am anxious to write Reiners part, but it will most likely be either next chapter or the one after that we see it. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

"Eren.." Mikasa tries again only to be cut off once more by her angry adopted brother. He still gives her that look that reminds her of his berserk Titan form he used in Stohess all those months ago. It's frightening to say the least, and his tone isn't helping her keep herself together either.

" _I. Don't. Care._ for you in that way _. What part of that don't you understand?_ I love you Mikasa _, I do,_ but _only_ as a _sister_. When are you going to let go and just accept it? If your gonna give me the excuse of me saving your life, consider it repayed many times over already. You need to stop this Mikasa, your only going to hurt yourself. _Please,_ _just_ _let go_." He doesn't wait to hear her answer, and returns inside the room.

The others notice that only Eren comes back inside, which signals that the conversation outside _wasn't_ a pleasant one. Hange nods her head to Eren, and he resumes his post with hands placed on Annie's crystal. He focused his mind and felt that cold tingle again, meaning he was connected. He called out to her once more.

 _"Annie? Still here?"_

 _"Where else would I be? I'm trapped in here, remember?"_ She replied with her usual monotone, as she appeared behind him. She has her arms crossed as she waits for his answer, her eyebrow raised in exoectation. He smiles a bit as he tells her the good news.

" _Well they said they won't attack you as long as you don't do anything to provoke it. They understand the situation as I well as I do now, but they're still cautious after all that's happened. I told them your stand on the Marley and that your willing to help us fight, but they would like you to spend some time underground._

 _You would be near me under some watch as a precaution, so they know they can trust you as well as my insistance for your "immunity". There's some preparations to be made since you're choosing to wake up, as well as some questions your gonna have to answer_ _for us so we can get the fires stoked._

 _Your safe as long as you don't turn on us, so your pretty much an ally at this point. Are you ready to do this? Are these things your willing to accept if you come out?"_

She shrugs her shoulders but nods to him, after all it's better than what she actually expected to happen. " _Sure it's not like I can complain. I actually didn't think they would be accepting my services after what I've done. I'm surprised Eren, things have changed, haven't they?"_

He nods his head at her question. " _It has, more than we ever thought possible. The world seemed so much easier in black and white a few months ago, but now things have become quite...grey._ _It used to be so much easier when the enemy had the same faces when they attacked us, but now...now we don't really know what to expect when we start this fight. But have we ever really?_ " She nods at this, understanding what he's feeling, since she felt it when she first came to Paradise 5 years ago. He shakes his head to clear it, before finally asking the question he's waited to ask since she spoke back.

" _Are you ready?"_ She gives him a hard look, nodding and tells him.

" _It's time to fight. It's time to crush Marley., and restore Eldia."_ He smiles, andoffers her his hand. She looks at it, surprised at the gesture, but accepts it. They begin to leave her mind while holding their hands, and the ever lasting darkness around them begins to fade away in a blueish light.

Eren opens his eyes to see everyone in the room backing away from him, and he sees the crystal beginning to fracture. All along it's surface cracks race up and down, and cold air hisses as it leaves the frozen shell and comes in contact with the warmer air of the underground. Pieces begin to fall in shards no bigger than their odm gas tanks, and finally they all land on the floor. Annie stumbles forward to the ground before Eren catches her, stopping her fall. She looks up, looking quite tired even after her months long slumber, but gives him a grateful look.

"Thank you, I just need a moment. I haven't used my legs for so long."

She looks up, and all around her she sees familiar faces from the 104th, but notices the absence of Mikasa, Reiner, Ymir and Bertoldt. She sees the same scout leader who nearly captured her in Stohess as she declared her desire to cut Annie apart for her sadistic experiments, looking apprehensive at her once again. She backs off while keeping eye contact with her, and is surprised when the woman laughs as if she's just heard a funny joke.

It actually unnerves Annie that someone who looked insane and wanted to tear her apart could be so calm about the situation. She steps forward to address Annie with a firm but welcoming tone, which is more than Hange thinks she deserves.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to harm you, unless you turn on us. So it seems you've agreed to help us out judging from your awakening, I say let's get down to business shall we? I trust Eren's told you our situation, what we plan on doing with your help, as well as the terms of your services? What we will require if we're going to let you go out and fight?" She waits for a moment and listens when Leonhardt gives her answer.

"I have, and I await the chance to fight back. I know that...I'm not gaining any trust, and nor do I think I ever will be seen the same way I used to be. Nor will it wash away the blood on my hands, but I want it to be clear that I did all of it for the greater good. I never _wanted_ to kill, but it's all I was raised around, to do by _them_. When I first came here, I had to make choices. Choices I believed would save our people in the long run, even if they cost lives, only to save many, many more. If there was any other way, I would've taken it. I understand the terms, and I fully agree to them."

The impressed faces of her former friends tell her that her words are meaningful, especially since this is the most they've ever heard from her, much less _emotional_ words. Hange nods at the girls declaration, and Historia also gives her a kind but oddly motherly look. Annie tries to remember the Krista lenz from their cadet days, the overly sweet and kind girls who always seemed to think of others before herself. The girl she was assigned to tail and learned was a member of the royal family, and reported this back to her fellow infiltrators as per orders.

 _But there was a much different reason Annie stalked her_. Her primary objective in both her missions was to obtain the coordinate, and a member of the royal family if possible. Annie had planned to kidnap both Eren and Historia as she was now known, and use their combined power to use the coordinate when they refunded to the mainland. She would've revealed the truth of the world to them, and in secret use the Founding Titans power on Reiner and Bertoldt, ultimately pulling them onto the sides of the rightful Eldians. Not the cowards who believed Marley lies and sent their own children to become the glorified killers of their own people. With the power of the Founding Titan, as well as the Collasal, Armored and Female Titan, they would have laid waste to Marley the instant they set foot off the boat.

Zeke she knew would never be turned over, but Peick was one she had hope for, being how she saw how complacent the people of Paradise were even if they had the power to destroy the world. She and the rest of the returned Warriors plus Eren and Historia would destroy the forces that tried to stop them as they freed and revelaed the truth to the Eldians of Liberio. The people of Eldia would rise up to strike down the true devils of this world and make it right, bringing peace, just as Ymir Fritz had done centuries ago. She had her father to thank for knowing the truth, for teaching her the true history of Eldia, as well as Marley. After all, he'd been apart of the Eldian restoration movement that had been caught and punished.

He'd evaded capture and punishent by never revealing himself to be an open member of the party, or affiliated in any way. It paid off, and soon after his wife, her mother passed, he raised her to be a true warrior. He taught her how to fight, and told her of the world's history. She had never believed the lies Marley forced Eldian children to learn in the schools that functioned just like the rest of the Ghetto did, _as a_ _prison_. His words drove encouragement into her, and actually inspired her to join the program herself and gain one of the 9. And in the last day she spent in Liberio, he had told her how sorry he was to out such a burden on her, even though she went after it by choice.

She been forced, tearfully, to remind him of what she was going to do, and he had such fear for her. For what she would be forced to do, for her safety, and for not knowing if he would live long enough to see if she succeeded. He accepted his role, just like how he lived the life of a fearful submissive Eldian to the Marley. But inside, they both knew what they were, what they planned to do. They would overthrow Marley, and she would be the one to do it.

Seeing the girl she once tracked now the Queen of Paradise impressed her, and told her that change truly has happened. Perhaps it would be enough to fight, to win. And if not, if they truly were doomed to fail and burn, then she would stand proud alongside Eren and the rest knowing she went down fighting. She thinks back to Eren's words from the last time she was awake, that he channeled into her mind somehow during their final confrontation.

" _Fightings your whole world, but what exactly are you fighting for? What could possibly have been worth all this death and destruction!?"_ She been surprised to have been asked such a question, and she had wanted nothing more than to tell him that day the reason why. But couldn't, not when he and the rest were so naive to it all.

 _'Im fighting for freedom. The greatest cause of all, that costs the most life.'_ She thinks to herself, as a few guards put light shackles on her hands, and escort her to her room. Eren walks alongside her on her right, while Hange walks on her right. She knows the road ahead will be hard, but then again it always has been.

Only now she thought she could see hope at the end of it. And so she strode further down it.


	6. All Hail The Conquering Hero

**Alright I know it's a few days later than I would've liked, but I try my best with this story. Since I've been rereading the latest chapters again I've been trying to figure out how to write Reiners perspective during the return from Shinganshina to the land of Marley. Hopefully this sounds as reasonable and in character as possible. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 **'Shut up'- Warrior thoughts**

 _'Shut up'- soldier thoughts_

 _All Hail the Conquering Hero_

Reiner sat next to Ymir in the return boat headed for the mainland, the difference between them was her being shackled and asleep. Zeke had ordered for him to bind her to prevent an escape, and to knock her out before he left to talk with the boats captain. However no such brutality was needed when Ymir told him she was already sleepy, and to just lie for her sake. He had been stuck at what to do when she said that, on what each side of him wanted to do.

The warrior side just wanted to obey, knowing she was the one who ate Marcel, she stole the power, she deserved this. But _the_ _other side of him,_ _the_ _soldier_ , disagreed, because he knew her story from the letter to Historia, her struggle to live. The hell she endured for about 60 years, if what she told Bertoldt was true. _'Bertoldt'_ , he flinched as he remembered where he had left his best friend. Crippled and helpless to the island demons, to be killed or tortured like Annie was, like Armin said.

" _They_ _aren't demons, you should know that by now. Things were quite different from what we were told Reiner."_ the soldier said, before the warrior interrupted.

 ** _"And_** ** _? They were still ready to kill us when they knew who we were. They nearly did it too with the explosive spear, all of them Sasha, Connie, Jean, Mikasa, Armin.. They are demons, Demons who deserve nothing but extermination._**

" _No_ _, if they were demons, then Marley would be no more. They know nothing about this world, its history...but they might now. If Eren learns the power, then he will know everything. He will know why this has all happened, he'll understand our struggle. He will be furious, but unable to do anything...and yet he'll still fight._ _" Soldier_ argued, and even Warrior was reluctant to admit it was the truth.

 ** _"And_** ** _if he does, he will try to attack us, to take revenge against me and the people I serve. Even if it's a lost cause, I know he'll still fight. He hates us, he hates_** -when soldier stops the rant with an angry tone.

" _He_ _hates what you've done, but look at him and the rest! Look at how they reacted when they thought you were dead, they cried! As much as it was what they had to do, they still cried for your armored ass! Sound familiar Reiner, remind you of a time You felt sympathy and cried for one of those "cursed island devil's"?_

 ** _"Shut_** ** _up_** ** _" warrior_** said, but soldier continued. _"Do_ _you remember Trost? Do you remember making the mistake of telling your plans out loud? Someone hearing it? Someone named Marco Bodt?_

 ** _"Shut_** ** _up!! Be quiet, I don't want_** ** _to-"_**

 _"No_ _, Of course you don't, it makes it easier to excuse what you've done, doesn't it? Makes it easier to forget that you left one of your own friends to die in a horrible way because You fucked up. You caused his death and so many others, all because you choose to just blindly accept what Marley says even after what you experienced there._

 ** _"Shut_** ** _up_** warrior tried again to say, but soldier continued on.

" _Did_ _any of it seem wrong to you? None of the "island devils" even knowing about the world outside their walls?_ _What they said and what you were raised to believe is a lie_ _and you know it. You don't want to question it because it excuses the lives you've taken in your foolishness. Admit it!_ "Soldier screamed at him, and he felt tears begin to go down his face. He knew he was a warrior...but he was also a soldier. He knew he couldn't be both, and yet he is.

What Reiner didn't know was Ymir was still awake next to him, and she had a good feeling she knew _both_ reasons for him to cry. For leaving Bertoldt behind since she hasn't seen him since they left Paradise, and the internal struggle his mind must be having again. She saw some of it back in the forest with Eren and Bert, but now as he kept silent, she knew it was happening again. He was crumbling under the guilt of what he's done, and while Ymir hated what he and those he serves have done, she cannot help but feel sympathetic for the split person beside her.

She knows what it's like to live a lie, she did it for most of her life. It's why she was punished, or at least, that's what she calls those 60 years of mindless hunger and sleep. All because of them, the people Reiner and the others work for, the _real enemy. Marley._ ' _I should've told Eren about them then in that forest. At least he would know, he would try to figure out and understand. We might've escaped, and I'd be with Historia..but no. I chose to help them, I chose to go back the Marley.'_

The word sent disgust and hatred through her form, and she thinks about what the confused person next to her must be thinking. _'He was probably raised to believe they were evil, and then he saw the truth. But why did he decide to follow the lie?_ '

She thinks for a moment, and she sees another similarity between the two of them. _'Because he's fighting for someone else, isn't he? He has to go along with it...or else_ _other suffer. Hmm sounds familiar.'_

"Reiner..." She mumbles to him, and he quickly wipes his face to look at her. He snaps a bit at her "Your supposed to be asleep, _get to it_." She smirks a little, as she tells him. "Oh I'll have plenty of time to sleep once I get back to your "hometown" now won't I? Besides, I think I've slept long enough in my life. Since I know what your going through, I'm trying give you the best advice I can. It would do you some good to listen."

He stays silent, but his expression tells her that she has his attention. "Like I said, I know what your going through in a way, plus I've seen what you and the others had to go through."

He interrupts her "How the hell would you ever know what we, what _I_ went through? Don't pull my leg, I'm not in the mood for your shit."

She narrows her eyes at him and snaps back "And you think I'm in the mood for yours, you psycho? _You don't even have a handle on who you are, so shut the hell up and listen._ I know what you went through because of your friend, the _one I ate_ when I wasn't in control. All because I was trapped in that body by the bastards your taking me back to, that you cower and whimper under like their the greatest goddamn thing in this world.

You wanna point blame for anything, you point it right at them. None of us would be in this situation if it weren't for them, not those "Island devils" as you called us. Not your own people that you slaughtered and betrayed for your _masters_. _You betrayed your goddamn race for nothing, and now your seeing that, aren't you? It's just eating way at you to know and feel the weight of what you've done._ _All the friends-"_

" _Shut up!_ I don't need you reminding me-" he starts to yell but she cuts across him. "Well too fucking bad, your gonna listen to what I'm trying to tell you! I've stayed quiet and kept my silence long enough, but now you're gonna hear what I have to say whether you want it or not!" He stays silent at her outburst, but still glares at the freckled shifter before him. She closes her eyes for a moment, and looks back to him, much calmer.

"What I'm trying to get across Reiner, is that you know _the truth_. And yet your sitting here lying to yourself about everything you've seen in the past 5 years. All our friends, the times we've had, _Historia_ , you know all of it isn't what the Marley told you about. You know that much, so you need to make a decision. Just like I told Historia, you need to stop lying to yourself."

Reiner says nothing, but inside his mind is at war with itself again. **_"We're not lying to ourselves. We've seen them try to kill us, we know what they are willing to do to survive."_** Warrior muttered.

" _And you've also seen them try to reason with us, even after we declared them enemies. We've seen them cry for you even after all that. It seems that Ymir is giving you some much needed advice Reiner."_ Soldier said s little louder.

 ** _"Why the hell should I trust what she says? She killed Marcel! She killed my friend right in front of me!"_** Warrior argued back and Solder snapped at him.

" _And you killed one of your friends as well, Marco! You alsonkilled plenty of innocent people too, people who knew nothing but fear of the Titans, trapped behind those walls. But you broke that cage, and let the monsters in. And now your friends fear You. Hell you're leading Ymir to her death like a lamb to the slaughterhouse just fine, wasn't she one of your friends as well Reiner?"_

Ymir notices again that look in his eyes, and while he's fighting himself takes the chance to say it again. "You need to stop lying to yourself Reiner, otherwise it's gonna drive you insane. Though from the way you're acting now, it seems like it's already starting. What I'm trying to say Reiner, is that you need to decide. I don't know _who_ you're fighting for, but you should consider _all_ your options here.

You need to make a decision, what are you? Are you a _Warrior_ or a _Soldier_? Or...are you what Eren said you are, _are just a murdering psychopath?"_

Ymir closes her eyes then as he hears footsteps approach the room they are in, and Reiner sees Zeke enter, looking somewhat satisfied with whatever he and the captain discussed. "Ah so she's asleep then? Good, we've had enough setbacks as it is. We don't need another one running off with the power, much less if she's the one you say ate Marcel. We have a day or two till we reach the mainland, I suggest you prepare your report for when we get back, they won't be happy."

Reiner knew they had failed in this mission, Marcel was long gone, Bertoldt was probably dead with him, and Annie might be as well. He was the only warrior returning home, and he wasn't even sure if he was one. The only good part of this mission, along with crippling their military _greatly,_ was that the Jaws Titan would once again be under Marley control. The power should be with the _true_ Eldians, not the island devils...right? To be under control, for their own safety..He sighed, he has to focus on what he would report about his time on Paradise.

He smiled bitterly, at the name of the island. Called "Paradise" when it was actually Hell.

And yet he missed it already.


	7. Inheritor

**Alright it's been a few days, but heres the next chapter of Awakening, through Reiners view this time. Bit of a time skip, but we will meet a few of the newer characters we've seen from the Marley Arc in the next update. After one or two more chapters from this PoV, we will switch back to Eren, Annie and the others. I will have timeskip in a few parts, but I will let you all know when it happens and how far or back they are from where the manga is now. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

Inheritor

Reiner did it, _he actually survived_ the consequences of failing the mission to Paradise. Ymir played a large factor in his sentence, along with his sworn loyalty that Marley recognized he had from then to even now. With that, he was glad to be returning home, but did ask to be present at the transfer of the Jaws Titans power. It would take place in a few days, so he was allowed a few visits with the "prisoner" as she was referred to. He approached the brig and the guard outside the hallway leading to the cells.

Since it was underground, even shifter prisoners were not seen as much of a threat away from the sun and in such small cells. It was no bigger than an average room and completely bare, save for the bed attached to the wall and the sink in the left corner. Reiner wasn't too surprised at this, after all Marley took no risks when it came to one of the 9 rebelling and trying to escape. Plus if what he heard about Eren before his trial, it was a concept that seemed to work best.

He came to stop in front of the bars, looking at the freckled girl inside who seemed asleep. In a few days she would be eaten, her power transferred back to one of Marley's warriors, justice for her crime. " _But is it justice to punish someone who never committed a crime, much less knowingly? If that's the case you should've been executed at the age of 12 Reiner, after all that's when you received your armor. And you did it with full intention. Tread carefully on who you judge.."_ Soldier mused in his mind, but warrior didn't return the words with a reply.

He called out to her, not very loud but loud enough to be heard. If she was asleep, then he would let her be. After all, like she bitterly told him on the boat " _Oh I'll have plenty of time to sleep once I get back to your "hometown" now won't I? Besides I think I've slept long enough."_ The girl had known what would happen to her if she came, and yet she chose it still. ' _Why_?' he thought, and he heard soldier and warrior ask the same thing quietly to themselves, not arguing for once.

"Ymir? Are you awake?" No response, and he begins to turn and leave when her voice stops him. "Aw coming to say goodbye to little old me? I'm touched Reiner. Some lucky girl you'll meet will appreciate that kind of personality...or should I say: _personalities_." She sits up on her bed to look at him, and for once it isn't really contempt, but more dark humor. She's not making fun of him, but she's trying to get a point across. He smirks and goes to retort when he stops, as he takes in her face.

He's never seen such a defeated looking face, so empty with such dead looking eyes. He thought he saw despair on Eren's face when he thought he was dead during the Shinganshina battle, but this...this was true hopelessness. Her face still had a small smirk, but it didn't reach her eyes. She looked resigned to her fate, and knowing he brought her to it began to creep up on his mind. He shook his head to clear it, and came to talk with the girl like he intended.

"So..how are you?" He asks, unsure what to say in this situation. The way he says it apparently amuses Ymir, as a smile begins to tug it's way onto her face. She starts to chuckle low, before it starts to turn into full blown insane laughter. Tears actually come from her eyes as he watches, and he gets a momentary chill of fear run down his spine. Even the sarcastic laughter he always heard her give sounds broken, lost to a void that the girl must've felt. She finally stops and wipes her face a little, but a few tears come down from her face.

"Oh I'm just peachy big brother Braun. Only a few more days till I'm free from this curse they call life. I guess I'm just...waiting for it to come. But enough about me, how are we doing Reiner? Have you finally decided what to do with yourself? What you can live with, or who to live for? Because I know you don't have that much time left, just like me. So what's it gonna be?"

Reiner looks at her, and once again feels that tingle of fear. He's not afraid of her, but he's afraid of what she's said. She knows he's conflicted...and somehow she also seems to know he's fighting for someone else. That someone else was his mother, Katrina and his little cousin Gabi, who recently began to show interest in joining the warrior program. If he didn't have them, the soldier inside him might've turned long ago, and the warrior would never have resurfaced in his mind.

He just wished that things were different, all because he didn't really know who he was anymore. He was two people in one, and he had to chose who to become. ' _Warrior or soldier? Who am I_?' He decides to answer Ymir with the best way he can describe it, but stares hard at the ground.

"I'm...I'm _alive_. That's what I am. I don't know who I am anymore, and I don't think I ever did, not really. I'm just doing what I have to to live on. That's the best I can word it." He looks up to see her giving him a warm smile, and he gives her a confused face in return. He's never seen this given to him from her before, and it's almost surreal to see it.

"So I guess you finally get it, you see the point I'm trying to make. You understand why I went with you now, don't you?" She asks him and he shake shis head, more confused than ever. She shakes her head and rolls her eyes at his ignorance, and he sees now the familiar face she always had back in the cadet days. She huffs and gives him a look that he takes as important words.

" _Listen_ _closely. Deep advice time from dear Ymir._ " Soldier crooned in his ear, and warrior gave a noise that signalled resignation. He gave her his full attention as she looks at him with another look that showed pity and brokenness for him.

Reiner, I can say this only so many ways before it gets tiresome. _You need to_ _be who you are, but to do that you need to decide._ Be the _W_ _arrior_ for Marley and suffer till you die for a cause you know is a lie. Or be the _soldier_ you _know you enjoyed being_ and fight for what matters to _You,_ when the time comes. I'm not gonna be here to help you decide what to do, but at least I can know that I tried to save someone else who lived a lie all their lives because it's all they knew."

He looks at her, and asks a question he's been itching to ask since she came with them when she knew she could've been free. "Ymir.. _why_ did you come with us, even after you saw Eren use the coordinate? You could've stayed with Historia and the rest, and told them the truth about the outside world. I know what you said to me and Bert about being a goddess, but it still doesn't make sense to me."

She gives a sad smile, and chuckles a little as she likes back on her bed, as if to look at the stars. She reaches her hand up to grab the pearly lights like she had done atop Wall Maria. But the only thing she sees before her is the dull brick of the underground cell, no freedom this time, nothing to look and run towards. "You saw what I wrote in my letter, my past right? What I was before I went into that nightmare?"

He nodded as he recalled the tale of how she was given a name too big for her, a name that all Marleyeans hated and forced Eldians to associate with Devil. Ymir Fritz, the first Titan shifter, the girl he was raised to believe made a pact with the Devil for a power he possessed a ninth of. The woman who made the world as it was today before her death, the death that waited him soon enough.

The girl before him unknowingly became a symbol, an icon to be worshipped..and _hated_. She continued "Like I wrote, I went along with the lie to save others, to matter to them. And when it backfired on me, when I was sentenced to Paradise, I thought it was a punishment for lying to myself into thinking I mattered to anyone. But than you came, and I was free, free to make the right choices now that I had a second chance. Eventually I met Historiaand saw myself in her. I tried to save her, by telling her to stop trying to please others for lies.

I wanted her to be herself, to be real, to be what I wasn't for so long. And finally she did, she took back her name, she confessed to me after I showed my secret to you 4. And I guess I wanted you to do the same, because I saw you were like me in that regard as well. You believed a lie all your life, only to find out the lie you lived there was in fact the only truth you've actually known. It's hard I know, but I guess I just wanted to be the good person again, even with all the shitty things I've said and done.

She saw that side of me and still fought for me, and I'm sure that if she were to find out about yours, that she would stick up for you in some way as well. I just wanted to be the good person that Historia saw me as, even when she knew I wasn't. And it felt nice..to do that for you and Bertoldt. I know you two had no choice but to go on what you might have not believed, but what your realities were. So before I drag this on much longer just please _, please_ be who you are no matter what.

Don't let your sins or your situation stop you from running towards your future, your freedom. Just promise me that you'll decide Reiner, even when I finally go. Promise you'll do the right thing when the time comes."

He looks at her and feels ashamed at himself for doing this. He reaches out to her and she raises an eyebrow at his hand, before walking her way over. She touches his hand and he tells her low " _Ymir..I promise, to Historia, to them...I'll do the right thing. It may not be right now, but it will happen. That's the best I can promise you. Again I'm sorry for this."_

She gives him a sad smile while looking at the ground, and it reminds him of Annie the one time he ever saw the girl smile. It had been for Eren after dinner, and he overheard her offering to teach him how to fight properly. If _she_ could show emotion for someone, he could promise Ymir this.

She looks up and gives another sad smile, and walks to her bed. "Guess thats all I can ask. _Thank you Reiner."_

He nodded, and bid her goodbye.


	8. Executioner

**Glad to see you guys like what I did for Ymir and Reiners moments together, I felt it was pretty personal in the matter between them. Sorry that this is late but I reread the Marley Arc again and am just trying to keep it in chatacter. Sorry if Zeke seems out of character, but I just hate him so _goddamn_ much. Everything he's done, all he's killed, not even betraying Marley would redeem him my eyes. I'm for Reiner, Annie and Pieck all rebelling though, and hope to see that in the future. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Executioner_

Reiner stood in the massive room designed to transfer the Titan powers to new warriors once the former's tenure came. Also present in the room was a Marleyean official, as well as Commander Zeke, and finally the one person he truly _hates_ with a passion, _Porko Galliard_. Porko was Marcel's brother, the one who he claimed to have been trying to protect the night before he was killed.

Reiner hadn't understood what Marcel meant, until he explained about talking positive about Reiner while disregarding his own brother. All to have him be spared the fate of becoming the Armored Titan. It was then that Reiner had been so shaken by the revelation that he really wasn't good enough, that he hadn't noticed Ymir waking up and rising from out of the ground. When he had seen her mindless form, he'd been paralysed with fear, until Marcel shoved him out of the way only to be snatched up instead.

He watched as the boy who gave him his armor was devoured right in front of him, Bertoldt and Annie the morning they attacked the walls. It had been such a surreal thing to start the mission without him, wondering what his part _would have been_ if he were still with them. Annie was ordered by him to call the Titans, Bertoldt broke the outer gate with his leg. Reiner smashed the inner gate, so Marcel didn't really have a roll to execute during the initial attack except maybe transport them afterwards. But he never got the chance to, and so Reiner, Bertoldt and Annie were forced to integrate with the Maria refugees from the beginning instead of much later. _That_ was the first step to their downfall.

They were able to see first-hand the extent of their actions, how many they affected, how many families they tore apart. But at the time Reiner hadn't really given it much thought, after all these were the island devils who could lay waste to the world. But the more he saw of them, their ways of life, the more he got _confused_. They had no way to even defend themselves aside from the odd gear they flew through the air on, and they had no knowledge of the world outside their cage. It didn't make sense, _'They can't be this ignorant..can't they?'_ he asked himself as he heard of a suicide mission designed as a recovery mission in the retaking of the wall.

There wasn't a chance in hell of them even making a dent in repelling the Titans the trio had let in, and yet they all left to do it. Knowing they wouldn't be returning, and yet they still went. Just like the freckled girl being brought in and strung up on the chains before a ledge. The one who went willingly to her death with _almost_ no regrets. He knew what that one regret was, and it was one of the reasons he swore to do the right thing when the time came.

 _Historia_. The goddess he, or the _soldier,_ had fallen in love with, even if it wasn't shown to be mutual. _The warrior_ even had a hard time denying the kindness the girl radiated to everyone, even his traitorous hide. The blonde that Ymir felt was almost a mirror of herself in a way, and Reiner couldn't help but agree when she had told him the girls story of being the true queen. It actually broke his heart, the _soldier_ was in pain, and the _warrior_ felt shame. _He will make it up to both of them one day, all he needs is a chance._

Seeing Porko now made his blood boil, though he didn't give any outward dissatisfaction. After all it's not like he could do anything, if he interferes or shows the slightest of distaste with Marley, his loyalty would be in question once more. His mom, Gabi and the rest of his family would suffer hardships, possible even the threat of _bombardment_.

A chill went up his spine as he remembers the greatest threat next to being sent to Paradise, _the threat of your family being used as living bombs on Marley's enemies_. It was a sickening thought, and one of the few things he knew even back then that were wrong. But he kept his mouth shut then as he absorbed all of his mothers and Marley's teachings about his kind. He shook his head to clear his mind of the past and returns to the present.

Ymir is fully chained up, her arms spread above her head while she sits on her knees. Her face is just as defeated as it was that night in her cell, and he sees her look at him one last time. She doesn't give any sign that could be seen by anyone else in the room, but he can see the emotion, the _message_ in her eyes. " _Don't let it be for nothing, do what you must to live for yourself. Live for the Truth"_ they tell him. and he gives a small but unnoticable nod to her as he take his place father back in the room, away from her and Porko.

He sees the Marleyean official pull out the syringe containing the mindless Titan serum, the same serum Ymir herself was given 60 years ago as punishment for _just having her name_. The serum he himself was given the same day Bertoldt, Annie, Marcel, and Pieck were given when they inherited their share of the 9. Marley only had 7 of the powers after the great Titan war, and they were fierce about protecting them at all costs. But that didn't stop them from flaunting they had the powers to their enemies, as he remembers destroying a small country when he first was given them.

He, Annie, Marcel, Bert, Pieck and even Zeke were placed at the border of a sea faring country. Pieck had snuck around from behind via the water while He and Annie led the main assualt, Marcel taking out the mortar cannons with his Jaw titan power. Bertoldt came later but still served two purposes, as their largest power to play..and the symbol of fear they would come to know.

It was actually funny in an odd way that Bertoldt only found that to be disturbing when he went to Paradise. Before that it hadn't really bothered him, but seeing his actions firsthand against actual innocent people must've shaken him inside. And yet he was still the most level headed out of them once Annie went to the Mps, though at times something about her seemed.. _off_ to him as well. He knew her for years, but she seemed different to those on Paradise, even if she was still cold and isolated.

He shook his head from the memories of all that, and watches as Porko is injected, before the Marley official backs away quickly to his side of the room. As Porko loses control and transforms, he takes sight of Ymir before him, and reaches hungrily for her chained form.

 _She_ _doesn't flinch, doesn't give a yell or cry of fear. She just accepts it, facing the consequence to her choice with One regret._

She watches it come with dead eyes as Reiner watches the teeth close down on her. He flinches internally at it, the only outward change being the hardening of his eyes. _'Don't cry. You can't let them see you cry, otherwise her sacrifice is for nothing'_ _Soldier_ tells him, his tone mournful. Warrior stays silent, and Reiner wonders if he's feeling the same thing or.. _if he's even there anymore._ But he isn't acting like a soldier, unaware to the truth before him..so does that mean they're one in the same now?

 _'I'm the warrior in appearance, in knowledge, in the eyes of Marley..but am I the soldier at heart, in truth?'_ Both able to coexist in the same vessel, same mind.

' _Could_ _it be possible to be both? Or were they just different sides of the same coin?'_ He asks himself, as he ponders his mental state yet again inside his head. _'No matter_ , _its too late now. It's time to face what I've done, and move on. I will live for myself, I'll be the hero who saves everyone, all I have to do is wait.'_ He declares to himself, as he sees Porko begin to collapse, steaming from his nape.

He sees the bastard who _should've_ died in Marcel's place emerge as the beast who just killed a friend of his. A friend that he _will avenge_ when the time comes, he's done breaking promises. But for now he has to keep his head low, and take the steps to make sure his family is safe. After all it's been 5 _years_ since he's seen them all, his mother might even be gone for all he knew.

If she was gone, then he would focus all his attention to Gabi. She could be spared this fate, if he played his cards right. Since she was training to become a warrior like he was, _is_ , then if she succeeded, she would gain his power. The worst _or best_ thing for her would ultimately be his death, if she ate him she would get his memories. If she wasn't told beforehand what he knew, then the knowledge might overload _her_ , and _she would be split._

 _'No, I'm not letting her take my burden. She will keep her sanity_ , _she will not have trouble deciding who's side she's on. She'll fight for Eldia, just like I know **they** will.' _ He thinks as he remembers Bert and Annie still being on the Island, although he doesn't know if they're even alive. Bert may or may not crack, and if he's honest with himself it would be the best thing if he did. Annie would be..harder to get through to, to convince. Though if he remembers correctly, she was already showing reluctance with.. _with_ _Marco_.

Reiner flinches as he remembers the incident, and closes his eyes as he thinks to himself again that their deaths won't be for nothing. Ymir, Marco, those he killed when he broke the wall..all the trapped Eldians here and on Paradise, _they will all be free one day._

As Porko is carried out by the medics and Marleyean scientists, Reiner intends to keep a _very_ _close_ eye on him. The last thing he needs is for Porko to gain Ymir's memories, his problems would only multiple if he did. He would have to take action _much_ faster if he does, either kill Porko or kidnap him and Gabi. He would only be able to save one if he has to leave before he's ready, if he even gets the chance to. But either way, things are going to change, and there gonna change _soon._

 _'I will be the hero who saved the world, even if I had to start by destroying it first'_.


	9. Resurfaced

**Alright returning back to the island crew for now, but I know you guys want your rockin Reiner. You'll see him in a few chapters, these will focus on Eren and Annie soon after her waking up. Read chapter 96, and it was shocking to see things go down that way. Hope you enjoy. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Resurfaced_

"So that's how the Founding Titan was really established?"

Armin asked Annie, who nodded her head at his inquiry. They all sat in Annie's cell, or rather her _room_. She was being far more cooperative and complacent than they'd first expected of her when she finally awoke. It was actually _refreshing_ in a sense to him, though Eren seemed the most pleased by her new demeanor. In fact to Armin it seemed like Eren was experiencing nostalgia as well as the opportunity to see a new side of her, and he was enjoying doing so. She leaned forward as she went to further elaborate.

"Though what Eren has _is_ the Progenitor or _Founding_ _Titan_ inside of him as well as the Attack Titan, the way you, me and he inherited the memories is what Eren told you before. These _Paths,_ the way we form the bodies when we shift, how we regenerate, it all comes back to something even Marley doesn't understand. Something they only have very vague theories of.

Something that goes _through time_ in our minds from someone else who was or even _may_ be the current holder of your power. That's the best I can explain it, but Eren was correct with what he told you of this Owl his father met. He seemed to have many things figured out about this ability, though I can't explain _how_. He only had it for 13 years, just like we do, but he seemed to know things he _shouldn't_."

Armin is deep in thought at Annie's words, and goes back to remembering what Eren had told him when he finally unlocked his father's and possibly the Owl's memories. But there was something bothering him, some particular detail that he'd kept to himself as he tried to understand and commit to memory during his time writing down all Eren had told him. Eren had recitted his father's conversation with the Owl, this _Eren Krueger_ to Armin. At first he dismissed the coincidence of their names being the same, until he learned that he was the reason Eren was given _his_ name in the first place.

It was the last words from Krueger to Grisha that bothered him, made his mind try to understand the meaning behind them.

 _"If you want to save Armin and_ _Mikasa, you must first finish your mission...Who's memories are these, I wonder?"_

That line had momentarily confused the pair of friends but while Eren continued on as if it was only a minor detail, Armin took the words more seriously. After all they were more or less the _same words Grisha said to his son before giving him the mindless Titan serum_ , giving him two of the powers in a bloody self sacrifice.

 _'What did Eren Krueger mean? He himself questioned who's memories they were, but how could he possibly know about me and Mikasa? If they were memories from the past, it raised the question of some sort of "reincarnation" theory. But it **also** raises the possibility of memories being sent from the **future**. Could that be how the Titan bodies form, because it is already known when it happens, and so the power is sent backwards to that exact point?'_

Armin rubbed his head to massage it, to make the pain from over thinking go away. It was odd, for someone once praised for being such an intelligent person with a intuitive mind to wanting to empty his head because of the bright mind he has. Such questions and the possibility of either theory being real still made him even more unsure of himself. He'd changed for sure from the boy he once was, but now he was still just as naive about the world around him.

Sure he knows about it quite alot more, but where there is so little answers, the universe seems more than willing to give them more questions. _'What is the point of all this? Are we devils like the world sees us, or angels like the small bit of history we have tells us? Are we really Free or still just as enslaved? Good...or Evil?'_

Such musings are unnoticed By Annie and Eren as they converse more about the powers they each have. According to Annie, there may be ways to further their abilities, should they be willing to gamble.

"Are you sure that would be a good idea? Wouldn't we get mental problems, possibly bad enough to drive us to suicide?" Eren asks her, still unsure of her proposal though taking into account how promising it sounds.Annie shook her head at the boy, no _the man_ responsible for her being able to get all this weight off her chest, so to speak.

"It hasn't seemed to really affect those who have had it done on them, on Krueger your father _or you_. Though your attitude had changed I admit, however that could be you just growing up finally." Saying that last part to him with a small smirk on her lips. Eren gives an annoyed look at her, before firing back.

"Hey I'm plenty mature, I was just hot headed then. I learned to control it because it affected my decisions before, and it ended up screwing things up when they didn't need to be. I told you I changed as well Annie, remember?" Annie rolls her eyes slightly as she remembers his words back in her crystal and finds herself agreeing with him.

"Yeah you're right, but I still think you need to learn how to talk to _certain people_ , like girls." She replied, leaving the last two words inside her head. _'Like me'_ But she forgives hus brashness, after all she did say that to get a reaction out of him. To once again gauge the new but still familiar Eren she met inside that crystal about a week ago.

' _He_ _has changed'_ in her eyes at least for the better. Sure she strangely finds herself missing that raging fighting spirit he had back when he only knew the world in black and white, but now she respects what he has instead. _He has the will,_ even if he had that before, he now has a real reason behind it. Before it was just vengance for his mother, and then eventually for the people who have given their lives in protscting him, by trying to make their sacrifices worth it.

But with all the knowledge he knew now, the crushing weight of it all being painfully in vain should've crushed him. Yet here he stood, or rather _sat_ , with the same drive behind his actions as he did then. Like her he's fighting for freedom _first_ , not angered revenge, though that too played a large factor in _both_ of their minds for what they've done, and _what they will do_.

Armin seems to notice the tension in the room between the two, and politely excuses himself with the lie of wanting to visit Mikasa. That left Eren and Annie alone for the first time since she's been awake. The other times have been in meetings where the scouts were all assembled and present, it during mealtimes where she was supervised even with her open declaration to help them. Since she was a more solitary person for so long,any avoided her, except for Eren to which she was grateful.

The only downside of his company would be the sometimes joining of them by his stepsister, who still glared at Annie with the same hatred she had in Stohess so long ago. Her feelings would never change towards the traitor tuned ally, but Annie and Eren didn't seem to care. So with them both being alone in her accommodations without anyone interfering, the change in mood was positive for her. From the talks she had been apart of with the new Commander Hange, they would even allow her above ground in order to train Eren in mastering his Titan abilities.

The news had brought excitement to her for being able to once again take part in combat as a way to pass her time when she wasn't planning with them. But it also brought a hint of fear and anxiety to her, after all both times they met as Titans they more or less fought each other to the near death. Or more Eren had in his anger, the first time for killing the special operations squad, and the second for betraying him in Stohess.

That had brought about her fourth near death experience while on Paradise island, the first had been with Marcel who she'd had hopes for in terms of rebelling once he saw the truth. The first battle with Eren in the forest of giant trees when he roared directly in her face, to the encounter with humanities strongest. And finally her battle in Stohess against Eren when he went berserk.

Having to fight him if he were uncontrollable like that again would've been the one thing she would've refused to do had she not seen his maturity in his human form. The change in his behavior gave her a feeling of reassurance that he wouldn't hurt her should she transform again in front of him. Shaking her head she asked him a simple question to break the silence in the room.

"So, how are you? With...all of _this_?" Eren looks at her for a moment, his face having a thoughtful expression as he considered her words. Struggling to come up with an understandable but simple response, he finally decided what to say.

"Well I guess that I'm surviving it I suppose, I mean we all are. Even you, though I'm not so sure how your taking things going like this. But for my mood? I'm fine, hopeful actually. Things are actually changing, even if we don't know just how it'll affect us in the long road. But what about you? How are you dealing with all of this?"

She too ponders his words, and gives her own response, though her tone is warmer than from a few minutes ago with Armin in the room. "I'm fine actually, thank you for asking. I'm feeling the same way you are, but I have more... _Hope_ , than I had before. Though there's still a thing or two bothering me.." As she trails off she doesn't expect Eren to lean forward slightly and probe further about it.

"What is it?" She didn't say anything but he was insistent, and gave her a look of curiosity. She sighed as she knew it would do her no good to ignore him, and nor did she want to hide the biggest question she had for him.

" _Why me?_ Why did you go through so much trouble to believe I was still good? Why didn't you want to hurt me after all that I did? Don't get me wrong, I'm _very_ grateful for you doing so, but it still confuses me. _Why_?"

Eren looks at her for a moment, and she sees that he seems to be struggling with himself to say something. _'Just tell me Eren, it's going to drive me mad otherwise. Why?'_ She thinks, unaware the same struggle goes on in the boys mind.

 _'Just say it dammit, do it_!' He thinks as he swallows to tell her _his truth_.

"Annie.. _I_ _Love You"_


	10. Confessions of Monsters

**Alright, sorry for both the cliffhanger and the delay for Awakening, though I did say I was going to reread the Marley Arc a few times to make sure everything I write was accurate as possible. Chapter 96 was intense, though I'm anxiously awaiting the return to Paradise Island, and possibley even Annie being awake. So my Monster Musume story Web of Hearts will hopefully be posted a day or two before this chapter is published. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Confessions_ _of Monsters_

"Annie.. _I Love You."_

She'd heard him correctly, as she replayed it quickly again in her head. There was no doubt, no waver in his voice at what he said, and Annie found herself stunned. Sure she'd considered him having _some_ sort of feelings for her since their meeting in the Crystal, but she hasn't given the thought that _it might actually_ happen to her. She sat there staring at him with widened eyes, her mouth slightly open as Eren waited for a response to his confession. She tried to say something but the damn words were lodged like her crystal in her throat. He started looking down from her crestfallen, apologizing for possible making the situation awkward between them.

"I'm sorry if you don't feel that way, it's just..you asked and I-" But she stops him with a squeeze of his hand, that he now realized was in hers.

" _No I_.. _I do feel_ _something_ Eren, but I'm not sure how...I know how we were back then, that I was more open with you than the others because well... _you intrigued me_ out of everyone there. Even if you were hot headed and rash, you still had a cause to fight for, even if it meant death. And I respected that quite alot, people who go against the flow. It's part of what made me want to teach you, that night you flipped Jean. You had that fighting spirit that made you get up _everytime_ I threw you to the dirt.

And I know I wasn't so innocent either, especially that day with Reiner and Mikasa. But after the forest of giant trees I knew it would've been near impossible for it to even be a thought. After I saw you roaring at me in so much pain and rage, _pain I caused_ because of my own selfish mission-" but he interrupted her self degradation with cool rationality, still driven by that positive attitude he had when near her.

"Hey it wasn't selfish, like you told me you wanted to help all of us. Even if it meant hurting and killing us at first, you still held back on me some." Her eyes widened at his analysis of knowing she didn't _truly_ fight him either time. She asked him "You know about that?" He nodded, and elaborated.

"When we faced off in that Stohess courtyard, I kept trying to understand you. You always looked bored most of the time, like nothing ever mattered, and yet I heard that you saved Connie and risked your own life doing so with Jean too. That you said discouraging things to those who wanted to join the scouts, _because you knew what would happen and wanted to spare them that._

You mostly looked alive when we fought, because it was something you seemed to enjoy. And so I kept asking you in my head, " _What's your reason for fighting? What could possibly have been worth everything that's happened?"_ And after I found out my power, I thought I had my answer, no matter how much it hurt. _But then_ I learned about the real truth to all of it in that basement, and I realized _Your_ reason must've been different, because you didn't have a choice."

Annie nodded slowly and looked at the ground of her cell, away from his face. But he held her hand and brought her face back up to his. It seemed He really had learned to talk to girls, maybe even comfort them. _Her._

"Just like Reiner and Bertoldt, you were raised to do it, and though it was your choice to do what you did after here on Paradise, I knew something was off with _You_. You wouldn't fight or do anything if it was bullshit, you _never_ did. So I kept hope that you had something bigger in your head, and when I finally got through to you, I was happy for the first time in months. After all we'd faced nothing but Hell, never getting anywhere and losing so many.

I realized we not only had a chance to be free, but that you and I...even with all that happened between us good and bad, that _we could be with each other._ I've wanted to talk to you about it for so long, before everything that happened with the uprising... It just hurt so much, that I couldn't do anything. I failed my mom, I failed Hannes, I thought I failed Historia and everyone else...but it was after we took back the crown that it really settled in my head that _I failed You_."

Annie noticed his voice falter at the end, but before she could stop him and try to soothe him from saying whatever he was about to he spoke up. "If I hadn't fought you so hard in Stohess, if I hadn't nearly _killed you_ , you wouldn't have been stuck in there for month-" but Annie interrupted him. "No, it was _My_ choice to make. I chose to go into that because I failed myself and my father. Instead of doing things the way I wanted I went with what Reiner and Bert planned so that I could blend in still. I messed up, I failed to take you in The Forest, where I could've spared so many from having to be sacrificed to learn the truth. I killed when there was no reason to, because in the end I thought it would be worth it when I succeeded. But we both know how that went.

What's done is done Eren, and you can't change that. Just like I can't wipe the red stains from my hands, you can't go back and change any of it. And even if you could, would you really? What if things turned out possibly even worse, what if you or I were killed before anyone knew the existence of Marley? But that doesn't matter right now, what we and everyone else has now is a future to fight for. And that's more than enough to make me fight, what about you?"

Eren looks at her impressed, his demeanor becoming more uplifted at the shocking amount of optimism in her somewhat blunt declaration. "Your right. There's nothing I can do to the past, but there is all the chance to change the future. You know that I'll fight for it Annie, for freedom...but I also want to fight it _with you,_ _for You_. Do you think that it would be possible now?" She looked at him in thought, after all there's nothing really holding either of them back.

They were both Eldians, both shifters, both fighting for the same cause. They already had something of a history with each other, even before they discovered each other's powers. He'd actually made her smile a few times during her time on Paradise. She taught him how to fight, he taught her that even the impossible could be done. It wasn't that the thought was unappealing, to her she actually _wanted_ to return his affections.

The thing holding her back was whether or not she was even capable of such emotion, or if it would even be accepted considering everything that's happened because of her directly. She didn't want to make things harder for him after he did so much to help her, to give her a second chance. Right here, right now she had to make a _choice_.

All her life she had to make hard decisions, did what she had to in order to complete _her_ mission, even if afterwards she regretted quite a few of them. Transporting Reiner and Bert to the walls years ago, the scouts on the 57th expedition, _Marco_ , Stohess, it all came down to her making choices. Just like now she had two options before her, either distance herself like she had attempted years ago or openly return his sincerity.

It was almost ironic that if she in fact chose the first, she would be wondering till she died about how the second might've played out. She wonders if she would've been more successful, or if Eren would once again break her walls that she tried to set up to stay safe and alone. In a way it was almost as if she didn't have a choice, but it didn't anger her at all when it normally would. After all no one's lives would be directly affected by _this_ choice, but theirs.

 _Annie_ _knew what her decision was._

"Eren..." she began and could see him looking at her with a hint of anxiety, waiting to hear her answer. But she noticed his posture, it showed her that even if she would've rejected his love in the lightest way possible, that he _would understand, that he would forgive her again._ It brought a small smile to her lips as she marvelled at his heart, his maturity, _at_ _Him_.

"I know that even if I say no, that you would still forgive me, and I respect that a lot. The truth is.. _.I do_ _have_ feelings _like that for you._ The only thing holding me back is..." She stopped as Eren waited with wide eyes. She swallowed as she admitted the truth, to both him and _herself_. " _I'm scared._ I don't know much about this sort of thing, and I worry that it would be hard on you because _of me_. Love _emotions in general_ aren't my strong suite, you know that. I don't want you to feel as if I dont care about you, when I'm fact I actually do. I'm just not great at showing it. If you could manage that...then _I'll be with you_."

She sat and waited for his reaction, and was once again a little surprised when that famous Jaeger smile presented itself on his face. He took both of her hands this time, as she watched him with wide eyes as he told her " _I understand,_ and if that's all, then I accept. I knew this would be hard to ask, and your right. Even if you said no I would still understand and forgive you. Because even with a you just said, to me _your worth it._ So will you be with me, now that you know?"

She looked at him and like one of the few times she'd ever done so in her life, Annie smiled. " _I will_ " she told his happy ears, and walked over to him as he stood. They pulled each other into an embrace that wasn't a combatitive one, _for once,_ and just held each other. His head resting on hers, her face in the crook of his collarbone, peaceful.

The road ahead and outside her rooms door would be hard and unforgiving. Like her father had said, they'll despise her, they wouldn't understand. The world hated her and her kind without regret, and in turn she hated them without a moments worth of hesitation. But right here, right at this moment, _she didn't care about that. One person didn't despise her, they understood her fine enough to accept her with welcome hands. Someone did care and She had him_ , _and He Her._


	11. Two Truths

**Sorry for the delay once again, still focusing on my other two stories since this one's a little trickier. Don't worry it will _never_ be forgotten. For those wanting to see more of Reiner you'll have to wait a few chapters. When I do it'll mostly be my rendition of chapter 91 onwards till we see more of the Marley Arc which I actually hope is coming to a close. I wanna see my island babies and what they've been doing these past 4 years. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Two_ _truths_

About 3 days had passed since the confession between the two shifters, and while they hadn't told anyone else about it, it was fairly obvious that there was a change in both of their behavior. They would be caught spending more time around each other, either at meal times or sparring together in one of the larger rooms the scouts had underground.

But that too would change, for in two days time Annie and Eren would be facing each other once more as Titans for the first time _as Allies_. There were obvious jitters about seeing the Female Titan once more, but most of them seemed to be accepting that Leonardht would not betray them. But then again only time would tell if their hopes were right, a hope not shared by a certain person currently watching the two eat together. Of those still very reluctant to trust or even interact with Annie since her Awakening, Mikasa Ackerman was by far the worst.

She had been more reserved than most would think when Eren had escorted Annie to her cell, and afterwards when he and Armin would go in there to discuss things with her. Now while it wasn't like she _wanted_ to go in there, she could detect the feeling that she would be far from welcome by both Annie and _Eren_. Ever since their argument before the blonde woke up He hadn't been talking to her outside of lunch. And that's only if she came to sit where he and Annie sat with a few others who might've had the particular courage that day to sit with the newly woken Female Titan.

Today was one of those days as she saw _Jean_ of all people sitting with them, and for once he and Eren weren't yelling at each other form what could see. She could also see Connie and Sasha near her, though Armin was busy and not eating with the rest of them. Mikasa felt another feeling of betrayel, after all it was Annie who was wearing his best friends gear when they confronted her so long ago in Stohess. While she knew how the other two had been when they nearly killed Reiner, she thought they would've been keeping some distance for a while. But Jean, he was one of the few who should've been avoiding her, but it didn't seem that way. She decided to take matters into her own hands and made her way over.

"So are you guys going to be alright doing it? You did try to kill each other last time you guys fought, plus the time before that." She heard Jean asking the two shifters, and she narrowed her eyes at them when they replied with ease "Hey I was only trying the first time, you know I almost couldn't do it in Sina. And plus this time we're all in the same boat here, on the same side." Eren told him, taking care to keep his temper in check.

Annie then followed Eren up with "And by the way, neither time was i trying to kill him. In the forest I was just trying to kidnap him to explain everything and bring him to my side to help me. I planned to use his power to reveal the truth about our kind's history to Reiner and Bertoldt with Historia's help. But-" a cold voice interrupted her as they took in the newest addition to their conversation.

"But we stopped you. We cut you up and left with Eren back to the walls because of all the losses you and the titans you brought caused." Eren looks annoyed at Mikasa sitting down next to Jean, and Annie turns her eyes after glaring for a moment at her. Eren began to scold his sister "Mikasa, now is not-"

"No Eren, she's right. She did cut me, bt _she failed_ to do it alone. It took the captain to even slow me down, otherwise you and I would've been long gone. But since she took you back she instead cause more deaths by helping draw me out in Stohess. Isn't that right, _Ackerman?"_ Annie replied to the half-asians taunt in a cold tone, one they weren't happy hearing because of the memories associated with them. _Past memories_ of a time they were all ignorant to the wolves among the sheep's that were the 104th cadet corps.

Mikasa said nothing at the blonde and sat there glaring, before she turned to the others "And your all just fine with her being like this? Walking around _free_ after all the death she's caused?"

"But Mikasa, she's on our side now, that's what she said when she came out. That she was trying to help us befo-" Connie tries to say but he's cut off by her. "And? She also _pretended_ to beone of our friends, but she's killed innocent people she never even knew as well as our own!".

"Mikasa stop.." Eren started to protest but she turned her attention to Jean, which made Eren freeze as he thought of what she might be about to say. But her next words couldn't be stopped. "Like _Marco_ Jean, remember? We still don't have a clear story on what happened, but we do know is _she was there, and she had his gear on_. She didn't even have the _humanity_ to give us an explanation, just so she can save her filthy murdering skin." The words hit Jean hard, and he struggled to clear his mind off the subject before looking to Annie for an explanation.

But to his surprise and everyone's Annie stood up suddenly and smacked Mikasa hard across the face, and Eren saw that her face was even more livid than the day she chased him for the first time in the forest. But this time there was no creepy yet excited grin of success, only an icy stone cold glare as she stared right at his sister. Jean and the other three had to grab Mikasa before she could lunge at Annie for hitting her, but she stopped as she heard Annie scream at her.

" _How dare you_! You have _no idea_ of the decisions or things that I've done, things I _hated_ doing with every goddamn fiber of my body. Do you really want to know what happened in Trost or what I had to do before I came here to this hell ?! Will that satisfy you Ackerman?! _Why can't you just leave me alone already?!_ And don't you sit there and act like you wouldn't have done any different if you were in my position and trying to protect Eren! Your just as bad as I am, the difference is that you haven't killed as much as I have, but at least _I admit_ _it!!_

They all looked at her in shock from her violent outburst, and the others in the mess hall, which thankfully were very little, began to get jittery as they began anticipating a fight. Ackerman didn't look intimidated or fearful, she just glared right back at her, and Eren tried to step in between them. "Hey, let's just take it easy, Annie c'mon. We can just go and cool off, alright? We can spar if you want to take-"

"And what's with _You_? Your still defending her knowing all of that, and for what?! Because she taught you how to fight? Showed you the tiny bit of emotion in her fucked up husk of a heart that _isn't mailcous or evil?_ I'm starting to question whether or not you _ever_ considered _Her_ your enemy in the first place." Mikasa nearly shouted at her brother, and Jean, Connie and Sasha all stared at her now. They never knew her to ever get that mad at her step brother, much less yell at him like how she just did. Nor were they expecting Eren to glare at his sister with such ferocity like he did now, nor the hurtful words he spat out at her.

"Maybe it's because she never tried to hold me back. She strengthened me in ways _you_ never did because of your _stupid_ overprotective _love_ for me. She opened my eyes to the world before I even knew about her secret, and she opened them more since I've spoken with her outside of that crystal. Get it through your head Mikasa, its _enough_. It _will never happen_ between you and me, and do you know _why_? It's because I found someone who actually _deserves_ _it_." And with that he grabbed Annie's still tense hand and slowly walked out of the mess hall with her. Jean watched as Mikasa stood there for a moment, before she began shaking increasingly harder. He and the others could see tears began to make their way down her frozen face, and made to get up.

As much as Jean heavily disliked the way she was treated just now, Eren had a pretty valid point. Her protectiveness and downright _obsession_ for her step brother was unhealthy, they all saw it clear as day back in training. He never learned how to be better at most things, incuding being a soldier or shifter in general when she was around. It _was_ Annie who showed him how to fight, it was _her move_ and philosephy he used on him that night in training. It was Annie who Eren never wanted to betray him, who he wanted to try and talk to when they came back from the beach. And know from the way he's been acting as well as what he just witnessed, _it was Annie who he had deemed deserving of his love._

He stood and walked over to Mikasa, and saw her draw her scarf slight higher before letting it go. He wrapped his arms around her and listened to her weep quietly into his shoulder. " _Shoosh. It's_ _alright, it's gonna be okay."_ He said to try and soothe her, in the same way his mother had done to him when he was younger. He missed his mother terribly, having not seen her since Trost was first taken back. She'd always been there for him to cry on when he was bullied as a kid, and now he was able to help someone else he cared about the same way she did for him. Sasha and Connie stayed silent, but they tried to comfort her by holding her as well.

In the aftermath of today's lunch, many things were shared by those left of the 104th. Jean knew he still wanted some closure about Marco, and he would ask Annie about it. Sasha and Connie would also want to know, though he wasn't sure if either of them or even if he was ready for it. Mikasa Ackerman, humanities second strongest has broken inside. And the reason why was because Eren Jaeger was openly in love with Annie Leonhardt. But it's like what he'd once heard Mikasa say long ago, seemingly to herself when she thought she was the only one using Odm in the forest that day.

" _It was a very cruel world, but also quite a beautiful one."_ And they all lived in it, together.


	12. Titanic Plans

**Okay I'm back, and yeah I know last chapter was a little bit harsh or angsty, but then again AoT is no stranger to that. Sorry for the delay, just managing my other stories that seem to be kicking off or going quite nicely. Reiner chapters coming in but few more updates, maybe 2 or 3 from now. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Titanic_ _plans_

Annie was finally seeing the sunlight for the first time since she slept. To her it felt like only weeks ago, but in reality it was _months_. She was being led by Eren, Commander Hange and Captain Levi with a few other scouts to the tunnel leading to the surface. Though the situation was being treated with less seriousness than she expected due to the mad scientist eager need for experimentation, Annie knew everyone who had began to trust her again was still waiting to see if she would keep her word.

And keep it she would, she'd made that vow to destroy the Marley at a young age for what they did to the people she lived near in Liberio. She would take vengance for every death she'd been forced to create in order to retake the Founding Titan and crush the true devils of the world. And right now she would be strengthened that chance by helping to train Eren, as well as experiment with a few things of her own that she'd suggested to him and Hange. It would require not only trust of the highest degree on her part to them, but also her own nerve to shift at the same time as Eren.

She was still wary of facing him again after her only two encounters with him had shown that _he was stronger. That he was more powerful,_ but still vulnerable if she played it right. And even that had nearly not been enough when her arms were healing, or when he was under a more rage filled state when they first faced off in Sina. But the reassurances from him, Armin and even Jean had made it easier to walk by him as they prepared to fight again.

Apparently her anxiety was as visible as she felt it to be, though she tried to hide it as best she could. But then again as Eren had said in her cell, he could tell when things were off with her. "You sure your ready for this? I'm not going to lose control again, I know your on our side. You don't need to be afraid of me." She shook her head at his sincere words, she needed to do this. Just like she did things years ago, she needed to _focus_.

"I'm fine, don't worry. From what you and everyone else said, you can keep it together long enough to do some real damage. I wonder which of our hardening abilities is stronger though, you cracked Reiners body, but I've always been able to do that." Eren raised an eyebrow at the question and tilted his head in thought as they neared the main tunnel. "When'd you test it out? Here or as kids?" He asked and Annie replied "Kids, though that was a long time ago from now. Skill wise I'll always be better, but he had strength even then. He actually got the drop on me the day we began the mission."

Eren looks surprised at that and asked "What caused that?". Hange's ears also perked up at hearing more about _that day_ , though from a different viewpoint than those from Shinganshina. Annie told the pair who was actually interested while Levi walked without slowing down. Though the information was valuable, it wasn't what was on his mind. What _was_ running through his head was whether Eren would be ready to fight her again with nearly the same lethality he'd seen in Stohess. If that berserk mode could be _tamed, under control but with the same power behind it,_ not even the Beast Titan stood a chance against him.

"It was after Marcel had been killed, and we stopped running from Ymir's mindless form. Reiner had been the one to flee, so me and Bertoldt had gone after him still in shock. I suggested that we go back and retrieve the Jaws Titan power, but Reiner kept insisting that we attack the wall. I told him that if we did succeed that his family would've been used for bombardment, and he threatened me and Bertoldt that we would also be held accountable. We got into an argument as he started to get desperate, so I kicked him hard in the face and chest a few times.

When I was satisfied he was beaten enough, I let my emotions get the better of me over Marcel. I'd had hope that he would join me in my plan, he seemed to know when we were assigned to this that something was wrong. I wondered if he'd known the truth too, but I never got to know because of Ymir. While I was feeling sorry that he died Reiner got me in a chokehold from behind, insisting on starting the mission. I submitted, and a few hours later we...attacked wall Maria."

She flinches, waiting for an outburst from Eren but is surprised when he merely hardens his gaze for a moment. _But he doesn't lash out_ , with anger or sadness. He just accepts the words and keeps walking, and she still uncomfortably follows. Maybe she shouldn't have said it, she'd heard he nearly killed Ackerman when she angered him before shifting again in Trost. She was barely keeping it together knowing she'll be facing possibly his _berserk_ form again, which only stopped because he saw her crying face. She takes a deep breath to calm herself, and steels her nerves for if he does accidentally lose control.

"We're finally here. Are you ready Annie?" Eren asks her, his voice confident once again, and she looks into his emerald eyes once again. She doesn't see anger there, or pain, she just sees that same fire he had when he talked to her in the crystal. The burning determination to fight for not only his or hers, but _his races_ freedom. It makes her feel elated, inspired, and she gives him a firm nod. Eren smiles a little as he nods to Hange, who almost _excitedly_ opens up the double set of locked doors.

Sunlight blares in her face and in all of theirs, and they all squint having been underground for so long. To Annie however blinding, it was beautiful. She never thought she'd ever see the sky again when she fell from Wall Sina, her face had actually shown the greatest feeling of defeat she ever knew. So seeing it again, as a ally, almost _free_ did wonders for her mood. She rises from the steps with the others at level ground, and takes a look around to observe her surroundings.

About 2 dozen scouts mill about doing laborous tasks for preparation in expeditions, some tending to the horses and such. She also smells the cleaner air out here, meaning their certainly not inside Rose or Sina's territory, which leads her to believe she's somewhere near Wall Maria. To her left she can see the faint outline of it, and to her right are large plains and fields that have low lying hills and grasses. But she also spots the 3 dozen mixed in among them who watch her and Eren walking towards a more empty field in order to start the experiments. Soon enough Hange and the captain hold back and it's only Eren and Annie walking further out.

Eren starts to slow down and turn to her, which makes her stop as well. He calls out to her, about 20 meters away. "Ready Ann?" She gives a look to him and then to the scouts who've taken the time to watch her, including the Captain and Commander. She turns back to face Eren and nods, and he holds his hand to his teeth, ready to bite. Annie goes to bring out her ring, but almost forgot that she didn't have it.

It was one of the agreements when she first came out, as a sign of trust. But the commander did tell her she could have it back when they felt she had proved herself an ally aboveground. It almost was trivial, since she didn't _need_ the ring to transform, any wound could do it. It was just that her father had given it to her as a precaution, knowing what she could face if she were caught by the island dwellers before they learned the truth, or by her fellow warriors if they discovered her true motives.

She shook her head to clear it and held up her hand, just like she had done in Stohess when confronted, but this time their would be no fight, no ill will or half insane smile in her face. There was only a fire burning as bright as the one she saw in the eyes of the boy across from her. The fire to _win, for freedom._ She called dout to him as she nodded "Let's do this!" and the pair simultaneously bit down on their hands.

The area lit up in a flash of double lightning strikes, and the scouts all watches with anticipation and anxiety as the Female Titan and the Attack Titan transformed in front of them. Annie felt her body fully form, but was surprised when she didn't hear Eren's signature roar. Both times she had heard or seen him transform she's heard him give a bloodcurdling roar, as if he'd put all his anger into it, but now she hears nothing. She looks over to him and he is staring at her intently, seeming to be just like how he was in human form. She can't say she isn't impressed, even knowing how far he's come as a person, she thought his Titan would still have some part in how he acted in it's form.

But he still exhibited the calm collevtive Dave though his eyes still held that permanent glare on his predatory features.

He began to walk over to her slowly, keeping his hands at the ready, but he knew in his head that there was no need. It was only for show to the rest of the scouts, he knew that she wouldn't betray them. Her reason to fight was as solid as his own, and she would do whatever it took to achieve it.

Annie began to close her eyes and listen to everything around her with her much larger ears, and feel the wind blowing on her steaming body, fresh from shifting. She could hear the breathes of the humans below her, the semi overexcited sqeaks Hange was trying to keep contained. And finally she could hear _him_ , the rumbling coming from deep in his Titans chest and throat. Had she not been with him as allies or what they were to each other now, she would've found the sounds scary. It was hungry, animalistic, vengeful...but all she could detect was a warm feeling coming from it. Protective, fierce, and focused on giving off a sense of reassurance to her. She found comfort in it as he stood maybe 5 meters from her, holding out a hand for her acceptance of his Titan.

She looked at it and then at his blazing emerald pupils, and found him staring back at her. Not the rage or pain, just Eren. She smiled as she took it, hearing the small cheers from a handful of the scouts as well as the commander herself. As Eren let go and faces her again, taking his combat pose, Annie focused her mid once again. _'Its time to fight, time to destroy Marley, and free Eldia'._


	13. The Declaration of War

**Back at it again with a new chapter, so things are starting to pick up now that he's training with Annie. Now we'll see Reiner in about 3 or 4 chapters, mainly cause I'm waiting for chapter 97. I do hope that the Marley Arc is over or we see an invasion from the Paradise island people on Liberio to free their fellow Eldians and possibly recruiting Reiner and Gabi. But we'll just gave to wait and see, but when I do Reiner's pov it'll be the events of the Marley chapters from returning to Liberio to where we are now. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _The Declaration of War_

It had been a very long and exhausting day for not only Annie but for Eren as well. Since her transformation 4 days ago Eren had been sparring with her titan each day under watch to ensure she doesn't run off. Though he has the highest confidence that she won't, he can't help but be a bit annoyed that some aren't trusting her any better. One such person was Mikasa, who he hasn't spoken to since his harsh confession in the mess hall. And while he knows that it needed to be said, he still feels a tingle of pity for her.

He rose after another brutal fight, this time it was focusing on hardening multiple parts of his body at the same time without becoming trapped. Annie was particularly helpful in this, since she could do it with her crystallization. Now while Eren did know how to effectively create hardened fists and shins, Annie was trying an idea she had come up with when speaking about his ability with Hange.

Anne had been curious about creating _weapons_ with Eren's hardened skin or her own crystal, after all she'd was able to create sharp spikes for fingers that had used in Stohess to climb. Was it possible for both of them to make some sort of projectile that they could use for attacking targets at a far distance? From the information Annie was providing them on Marley's military power or lack of, they heavily relied on the power of the nine Titans.

If He or Annie could use these armored spikes as throwng knives or a similar concept such as spears, they could possibly take down Marley's defenses and weapons without being in fear of injury. Eren and the others who survived the retaking of Shinganshina heard the reports of the Beast Titans deadly pitching ability which slaughtered nearly every scout aside from the 104th, and thought of giving the enemy a taste of their own medicine when they made landfall. After Eren healed up again, he would be testing Annie and Hange's idea out with scattered and long distance targets.

Annie was actually enjoying herself at the moment, though she was still regenerating a torn left hand. Though she had won the fight by skill, Eren's ferocity in hand to hand had improved. She had been in slight awe as he recalled nearly beating Reiner in their very first encounter as Titans by using her stratedgy in chokeholds and pinning moves. If he could keep up the progress she's seen in these last few days in this form, Marley would have no defense at all in the form of shifters. That and Eren's ability to effectively use the Founding Titan at possibly it's peak form practically assured them victory on that front. Now they would just need a chance, to get acros the ocean somehow, and free their fellow Eldians with the truth.

Now as to _how_ they would execute such an attack was debated about with the best and most feasible of plans. While many were shot down, the people of Paradise had 3 effective options that were still debated about in regards of which to use. The first was to tear down one of the walls, possibly Rose and have Sina's Titans reform once Eren commanded them to move and harden again. This would give them the forces of potentially _a hundred_ Colassal Titans in addition to Armin as their main weapons. They would walk or swim through the ocean to the mainland and be set loose on Marley while Eren freed those in Liberio.

The _second_ option that was a little more grey morality wise, as it involved using the mindless Titans of Paradise. Annie had told the Paradisians about how when she first started the mission, that Marley sent a group of ships from their army to hunker down at the full moon once a month at the shore. Now since they learned about the truth they had seen no signs of any boats of any sort, which prompted that they couldn't use that as a means of transportation to Marley.

However _if_ they did reappear Eren and his fellow shifters would capture and kill most of the army and take their boats. Once they were all aquainted with the mechanics, He would control and order mindless Titans into the boats cargo bays and keep them hidden until they reached the shore. Once they made landfall they would be set loose as a distraction while again Eren freed Liberio and returned to Paradise while leaving the mindless to consume their foes. The third option was much _much_ riskier.

It involved using the same plan of stealing Marley's naval and using them to get back _in secret._ Eren, Armin and Annie would infiltrate Liberio and Marley's armies by posing as oppressed Eldians used in their forces. This plan was met with the hottest debate because it involved risking all three of their shifter warriors including their most powerful in the enemies territory. There were both positives to this plan that were matched by heavy negatives if it were to go sour.

The plan was immediately refused by Mikasa, Sasha and Connie, but surprisingly defended by Armin and Jean. Annie and Eren had neautal throughts on the plan, mainly because they weren't sure whether or not they could or _should_ attempt it. From the memories Armin received from Bertoldt as well as what Eren told him, Reiner was still possibly a _potential ally._ At first Eren and Annie had opposed the option, but as Armin pointed out his hesitations and actions from Bert's mind, he was starting to persuade them into giving it a chance.

But there was a heavy hole in their plans for anything involving the third option that Annie bring to the table. They still had no informationabout the _Warhamner Titan._ Despite being from Liberio and part of the warrior program, Annie herself knew nothing about the mysterious 9nth Titan that the Teiber family held in their possession. It also made Armin suspicious when she told them about how this the family was treated different, not being made to live in the Ghettos, but actually in mansions and wealth.

It also showed how angry she was at them, because from what her father told her growing up, _they_ were the ones who incited rebellion against the Eldians and against King Fritz. Which ultimately drove him to leave for Paradise after they gave 4 of the powers to the Marley. This fact also made Eren very mad when he began to question Annie on what she knew of them, only to find out she had next to nothing on the family. _She was able_ to provide an important detail however, when she first came here to seek out the total family, the information she and her fellow warriors received came _from them_. How had they known about the royal family most likely being puppets after not seeing them for a hundred years? Things began to grow more suspicious in Armin's head about there being no reason as to why they were considered special enough to be left alone in Marley's eyes.

 _'Is the power of the Warhammer possibly stronger than that of the Founding titan, or the Colassal or even the Attack Titan? Why would they also not raise an arm against Marleys enemy nation's, but not rebel against their masters either? Was it possibly they play a heavy role in the politics of their government, their military?'_ Such questions constantly probed Armin's mind as he tried to come up with possibe hypotheses and answers to them. It was one of the reasons he himself was wary of infiltrating Liberio, especially if they weren't careful about how they did it.

If they were to be caught in enemy lands, the only hope and plan they could use was to have Eren give the Eldians there the knowledge of their people and cause a full scale rebellion. Armin himself could crush the forces that would be mobilized against him tearing down Liberio, and Annie would fight alongside Eren if Zeke or any of the other shifters appeared. _But_ if they could recruit Reiner, they would have a better chance of forcing a surrender in the other shifters. Zeke would not and cannot be persuaded, Eren would never give him the chance after everything he's done, and everyone else fully agreed without a doubt that he must die, especially Connie for what he did to Ragako.

The other shifter warrior Annie mentioned, _Pieck_ , was a little more open to talk about what to do with her. They hadn't much experience with her, aside from snatching Zeke and Reiner away and carting them to safety. It was Annie's words that made them consider recruiting or capturing her as well, as she had told them Pieck was the most mellow of all the warriors who were selected. She had seen and heard her comments about how complacent and peaceful the " _Island Devils"_ were when they had the power to easily crush the world.

Such words back then made Annie consider recruiting her in her crusade for Eldian rebellion, but when Pieck had been denied taking part in the Paradise island mission, she couldn't say anything. The fear of being stopped from even getting the chance to retake the founding Titan and using it kept Annie silent in her own mission, though Marcel had been another potential ally. The problem was he was dead, and Ymir had been taken back. She was most likely dead too, and the Jaws titan under Marley rule

 _That_

news hadn't been the most pleasant to deliver to Historia when the scouts had proposed their plans for war, though to their surprise, she took it quite well. No tears, no crying, but a sad resignation. It was a little unnerving to Annie seeing the once kind and overly sweet girl be even more apathtic than what she pretended to be when apart of the 104th cadet corps. But then again she had heard about war changing people, and knew it was true. After all she had the proof around her, and in her memories too.

Eren had grown mentally, Armin became more grim and calculating than he used to be. Historia had grown quite cold in some ways, but was still a goddess of a ruler. Reiner had created his own split mindset to overcome his guilt, and it was that torn side that they would count on if they went with the third option. So it prompted at her, did Monsters make war?

 _Or did War make monsters?_


	14. Deserving of the Truth

**Okay here we go! I know there was a delay so forgive me. New chapter and reienrs will be just after the next don't worry. I've read chapter 97,** **_quite_** **interesting to say the least with the new information. I'm super hyped for next months chapter, things seem ready to _go_ down. As usual drop a review, tell me your thoughts. Let us begin.**

 _Deserving_ _of the Truth_

It had been a great day in the way of progress regarding both Annie and Eren's abilities. Her and Hange's hypotheses were proven correct when she and Eren had successfully managed to create 3 to 4 meter spikes from hardened parts of their body. They'd tested their damage by using them as daggers, as well as pitching them like the Beast Titan had months prior. The results were devastating to say the least, and had even prompted a hand to hand match between them similar to the exercises the 104th did in their training days of taking the knife. The fight had been far from one sided, though Annie had won in the end 5 to 4 against Eren.

Now as sundown was approaching, Annie was preparing to exit her nape when Eren's Titan approached her and held a hand out. Though he had done it before to gain her approval of his Titan at the start of the day, him doing it right now confused her. ' _Whats_ _he trying to do?'_ she thought to herself puzzled, and saw a few of the scouts who were still watching the pair look confused as well, Hange included.

Annie grew even more puzzled as Eren huffed and gave a look of impatience as he still held out his hand for her to take. Hesitantly she reached one of hers out to hold it and to her surprise Eren grabbed it as is came into range and pulled her closer. Her eyes widened and she went into her defensive mode but stopped as he wrapped his Titans arms around her in a hug. A moment later she could hear a faint rumbling coming from his muscular torso, seeming to come from his throat and chest.

Her eyes went still with shock, and the scouts who were still present were also in a state of it as well. Hange was looking at the pair with barely contained glee, she'd never thought she'd see any sort of _affection_ when it came to titans. After all they were always seen as a threat or an item for war, even though she and the rest treated Eren as normal as he acted. But seeing the act before her still raised her eyebrows as she began to question what had brought it on, if it was neutral, and whether or not it would be rescinded in kind by Leonhardt.

Hange knew from her experiences with Eren about his views on the girl, even after they confronted her in Stohess. She also had been observant about how insistent he'd been to talk with her when they returned from the once fabled ocean. That and his confidence regarding the girl returning to their side made her question if the boy had once _loved_ her. Seeing this now after their preferred company with each other since her Awakening now made sense. It also widened her eyes when she saw what was happening next.

Annie was getting over the shock of being hugged in her Titan form, especially since she had never imagined such a thing happening. As she stayed in the embrace she began to feel warm, and raised her own arms up to hold him as well. His emerald eyes and her own icy blues were closed as they held onto each other, and there were quiet sounds of content and reassurance that weren't heard by those with smaller ears. To those watching it just looked like Titans hugging, but between Eren and Annie it was a bonding moment on another level.

Annie felt a smile tugging on both her human and her titan's face as she held onto the embrace for another minute. She gave a light croon into his collarbone, and heard his low echoing rumble coming up through his throat out his nostrils. It was a unique moment for them to say the least, and probably in all of history. After all who would've thought Titans could or _would_ hug each other in such a caring embrace?

Annie grudgingly broke the embrace after another minute, and like her Eren looked displeased that it had to end. But it didn't last long since both knew they could continue it later as humans, and felt happier that it could resume later. Right now both of them were a bit tired from using their Titan so hard for quite a few hours now, but it was a productive day all the same. Eren kneeled down on one leg and placed a fist on the ground to steady himself before exiting his nape. Annie sat on both her knees and did the same, and they both climbed down to the ground a few meters below.

As she landed on her feet she stood back and stretched her body out, feeling a few things pop along her back and legs. She rolled her shoulders to get the blood flowing before her tiredness could get to her, she also felt hungry. Eren walked over by the time she felt it rushing back to those areas of her body and held a small _smug_ smile on his face. It caused her to raise an eyebrow at him before she asked in amuesment. " _Someone's_ happy. Mind telling me why?"

He actually chuckled as they began walking towards the waiting scouts, maybe a dozen meters from them. "I'm just glad things are starting to ease up a bit and get better. We now have a new form of weapons that we can use, and they see that your keeping true to your promise, just like I said you would."

"Oh, so you were so sure I wasn't just gonna leave and do my own thing?" she jested back in amusement, and he gave a warm smile and a knowing look as they began making their way to the tunnel. "Never had a doubt, and I'm glad to know I can keep it that way. Plus there was that nice hug at the end..."

"That _you started_ , if I might add. But I'm glad to know you trust me that much, even after all that I've-" but he cut her off before she could finish that statement. "Hey don't start thinking like that. We've been through this, it was what you saw as necassary. Sometimes what has to be done is the hardest things for us to decide. I've already forgiven you Annie, and we're gonna do this _together._ You me and everyone else here on Paradise." She found herself warmed by the words after the brief moment of annoyance at being interrupted faded away.

Giving a small smile, she took his hands as the approached the door to the underground base of operations. The usual guards to put her required shackles hesitated for a moment, but Annie held her arms out as if nothing had changed. She trusted these people that much if they were willing to trust her.

Though today had proven to be successful on many fronts, there still were precations Annie must follow to keep their trust. She wasn't bothered by it, she knew she would see the sun again soon enough. That and her shackes would come off in a few minutes. After all she wasn't a prisoner or an enemy, more of a...gamble.

' _A gambler? Hmm'_ that was quite a way to describe herself as she reflects on it. She's been gambling her whole life on things, making those choices that she rode everything on in order to win, to survive. Just like she told Armin long ago, " _Well it looks like you've won your bet. But I'm gonna gamble too, and here's my wager!"_ To think of where she was then to their situation now made her more thoughtful of those around her, the world around her. Change for the better had happened, even if it had cost blood and tears to do so.

Finally after walking for nearly ten minutes the shifter pair along with the other scouts arrived at "cell block" or as Annie out it, her accommodations. She wasn't shackled, anymore as they were deep enough in the ground that shifting would be dangerous, and they'd moved past that within a week from her good behavior about all the terms. She would only be shackled at entering or leaving the underground as a method of reassurance to this still deeming her untrustworthy.

Slowly and every so often back few would depart from the escort team to perform other tasks, run out commands and write reports. After a while the pair was finally by themselves with the exception of Hange who decided to still walk with them to Annie's room. As Hange went to unlock the door she found it to be already open, which caused her to look inside to see if someone were inside. To her brief surprise there _was_ someone inside, who urged her to come inside alone. Taking a look back Hange told the two shifters to stay outside for a moment before entering the cell by herself.

Eren and Annie stood outside her fell in s state of confusion, why couldn't they go in? Was someone in there? They decided to make small talk when Hange finally came back out, and they were ready for an explanation. The former section leader looked at the both of them with a dissatisfied look on her face before telling the two. "You two have made great progress today, as well as my own little glee at you two in Titan form hugging each other, but I'm afraid that you two are going to have to split from each other for an hour or so. You can see each other after Leonhardt is finished with her report, and I want to talk to you about a few things Eren."

As the sounds of protest began Hange raised one of her hands to signal that it wasn't up for discussion. She already had reluctance to do this because it because it most likely would kill the pleasant mood between the two. "I'm sorry to have to do this to the two of you, and I know you two were probably going to enjoy some alone time, but it can wait an hour, can't it? Neither of you two are in trouble with me it the rest of the scouts, if that's what your goncermed about. There is someone inside who just needs to speak with Annie alone. "

"It better not be Mikasa Hange, or else it's not going to happen-" Eren began but Hange shook her head firmly as she took his arm and and to lead him away from Annie. "It's not I assure you, just someone who wants to talk with Annie. Come along Eren, You'll see her in a bit, if she wants your company. Which I think she might, cosnidsring what I saw from you two today. Don't worry, she'll be fine." Accepting her words, he grudgingly gave a look to Annie, who nodded in a reassuring way as she prepared herself to talk with whoever was inside. As Hange and Eren left she entered the cell and wasn't too surprised to see who it was inside. After all she's been dreading this since she's woken up, She spoke first.

"Hello Jean. I can see your here to talk about... _it._ "

The brown haired boy leaning against the wall opposite the door merely nodded, and gestured for her to take a seat.

"That I am Annie, that I am."


	15. That Day in Trost

**Hopefully this comes out faster than the last chapter. Sorry 14 got delayed for so long, but I'll try not to take so much time between updates. As usual drop a review. Let us begin**.

 _That Day in Trost_

"Jean before we start this I want you to know that I wanted no part in what happened to him. I didn't want to do it, I just.." Annie tried to say but Jean cut her off lightly.

"If that's what you want me to believe, then tell me everything about it. I want to know since Armin's avoided it by saying he didn't have Bert's memories of it. Reiners back in Marley or dead, so your the only one who can tell me this. Your the only one left who knows what happened to Marco. _Please_ Annie." He added the last part, a hint of pleading in it. Something she'd never heard him do for anyone, although the tone was like how he talked near Mikasa when he wasn't showing off or arguing with Eren.

Annie looked at Jean with tired eyes, trying not to relive all of it, probably the hardest choice she ever made in her life. Because it cost the life of someone so innocent to all of it, a victim of circumstance. But in the end it still begins to latch onto her mind, every unpleasant detail coming back to light. Sighing with a heavy weight falling back to her shoulders and heart, she gestured for him to sit. He took a seat on the edge of her bed and she sat next to him. Neither looked at the other when Annie finally began.

"It was just after Eren plugged up the hole in Trost, when we were still clearing out the city. I was sent to look for stragglers and Titan positions when I came upon Reiner pinning down Marco from behind while Bertoldt was watching, unsure what to do. I asked him what was going on and Reiner...he told me that Marco had overheard him and Bertoldt discussing the plan.

I yelled at them both, calling them pieces of shit for talking about that out loud, for letting someone hear it. I knew that if that were to ever happen that both of them would have to kill whoever was listening, and...Macro, he asked what I was doing there. He asked me to help him, that Reiner was acting crazy, and Reiner.." She flinched and Jean's stare hardened as he looked from the floor to her, and saw that her face was cringed in pain. Whatever she was about to tell him was what happened, and she had a part in it. Even if she didn't want one during it.

"Go on..." He urged as he swallowed and she flinched again as she too swallowed hard before she continued.

"Reiner ordered me to take Marcos gear off, Bert had said a Titan was approaching us so...Reiner wanted to leave Marco to be eaten. But.. _I_ _refused_." At this Jean's eyes scrunch in confusion. She looks at the floor to avoid looking at him and went on. "I told him I wanted no part in it, that it was their fault and they should bear that. Reiner told me that _I_ had to be the one, he started questioning my loyalty because I saved Connie in the armory from that Titan by risking my life. He demanded to know if I was starting to "feel compassion for this evil race." His own race that he didn't want to accept was innocent, that he'd been lied to his whole life about.

He threatened me and then my father...and I had to choose. If he or Bert saw that I wasn't really with them, they might've went further or faster with the plan. They could've killed me and taken my power, and no one would know anything. No plan to get Eren to use the Founding Titan, no one to help fight back when it came to it. It would ruin everything for everyone here on Paradise, so I had two options. Keep up the act and avoid being under suspicion by them...but it meant dooming Marco. _I'm so sorry Jean, I never wanted to hurt him_.

The only thing that kept me through it was telling myself that it would be worth it in the end. That I would find the Founding Titan and exterminate Marley for all the hell they've put us through. Taht I would make his death mean something, because even when we were all gathered before we took back the armory he said that..he didn't want his death to be meaningless, even though he knew it would come someday. _So...I took Marcos gear._ I was crying and telling him that I was sorry, and he knew what I'd chosen. I had to stare into his face as he saw I wasn't a friend anymore, I'd crushed his last hope and.." her voice broke as she openly began to cry, her tears dropping to the floor.

As angry as he was at her for choosing the evil that brought them to this point, Jean couldn't help but find himself pitying her. It was the same feeling he and everyone else had when they thought they killed Reiner. He _understood_ her, but he wasn't sure if he was ready to forgive her, or if he ever could. Marco had been his best friend in the 104th, someone so pure happy, a friend to them all, innocent. He didn't deserve to die, not like that. Jean was brought from his thoughts as Annie began to sound _angry_ then, but an anger at the feeling of being _powerless_. He saw that dangerous glint in her eyes, the same one she had on the 57th when she had appeared to have killed Reiner. The same one she had in Stohess when he, Armin and the rest tried capturing her.

"We ran and watched it happen from the roof, I was crying and...so was Bert. But I don't think it was as bad as me, he just knew he did something bad, but it's what he felt he had to do. But Reiner...he wasn't even in his right _fucking state of mind._ He went back to _his little fantasy world_ believing he was a soldier and asked in horror why Marco was being eaten. Why the person he condemned to death was dying and he couldn't even remember the reason for it happening. I _never wanted to kill him_ any harder than that moment, not when he still was trying to pretend he wasn't attached to any of you before he ordered the attack on Trost to happen.

Not when I held him in my hand on the 57th, but in that moment in Trost, I wanted to tear him to pieces. I wanted to _devour him,_ make him feel every bit of horrible pain that he just forced me to bear because _he fucked up_. He was talking about the plan when he should've kept his damn mouth shut, he forced me to strip and leave Marco for dead! _HE STAINED MY HANDS WITH MORE INNOCENT BLOOD THAN I ALREADY HAD ON THEM!!"_ Annie finished with a yell of rage and emotion that put the one she gave Mikasa to shame. Her pupils shook and dilated before finally going still and wide as she realized that she finally confessed the greatest of her sins aloud for the first time.

Then she started crying again, heavier this time, and Jean couldn't help but put an arm around the girls shoulder after a moment of deliberation. Her frame was shaking bad, but he wouldn't push her any further into detail over this. He's gotten what he's craved to know since Trost, since they captured her months ago in Stohess. Since he discovered with the others that memories were retained when the power of a shifter was transferred to it's next holder. Armin wouldn't give him answers, Reiner was gone, and Eren wouldn't use the power to tell him because he probably wasn't so sure _he even wanted to know_. So that left Annie, who was still sobbing on her bed with his arm around her shoulder. He grimaced and let out a deep sigh before trying to calm her down.

"Hey...Annie. There's no use beating yourself up over it now _, what's done...is done_. If what your saying is true, then you didn't want to do it. You just had to, just like we've all had to do hard things. We didn't have a choice in this life, yourself included. But I can, I see why you did it. I don't know if I'll ever fully forgive you for it, he was my best friend, and a friend to you too from how hard this is affecting you. But...I understand. I won't bother you anymore about it, and I'll answer anyone who asks about is so that you won't have to. But can I ask one last thing before with leave?" She wipes her nose on her sleeve and gives him a shaky nod.

"With you while mission, everything changing so much from how it was before, are you still set on doing whatever it takes in making sure that their deaths mean something? Everyone who's died because of those fucks across the ocean, will you make their lives and their sacrifices mean something? Even if we don't win, are you going to fight like the rest of us?" Jean asks her, looking for eye contact as he tries to keep himself together. Slowly Annie raised her head and closed her eyes, nodding at the wall for a moment. Then she opens them and turns to face him, and he can see that fire in her eyes. The same one that Jaegers had since training, one that grew ever since Stohess and even more after retaking his hometown. The fire that burns despite the cold, the rain of despair, the winds of hopelessness.

The desire to fight for freedom.

"I am, and I will make them count for something. I won't stop fighting until I exterminate them from this world, every last one Marleyean. _The true devils of the world,_ not us. They deserve to be wiped from existence for the evil that they are. And I will help you and everyone else do it, till my last dying breath."

Jean stood up from her bed and Annie rose as well to show him out. He turns and placed a hand on her shoulder as he leaves, and sees that she's looking at him with a less shaky frame. He can see that she's telling the truth, and feels glad knowing that fact. Just like Eren, she wouldn't be stopped. It would truly take death or her curse in order to stop her. And even then the fight would continue until they lost and were all dead, or until _they won their freedom._ He bids her a goodnight and leaves to his own room.

Two minutes later She heard a knock on her door, and knowing who it would be merely called out from her bed. "Come in." The door cracked slowly to a good sized opening, and Eren slid in quietly. He saw her just laying in her bed and joined her. He lay beside her and wrapped an arm around her, and she took in into her own tightly. Gently he asked her "Are you alright? Do you want to talk, or just want to rest?"

She thinks to herself quietly before finally telling him "Rest I think, I'm alright. Just a little tired from today. Speaking of which.." Annie trailed off and turned her body to face his. His face was concerned but that went away as she leaned her face closer to meet his lips. " _That's_ for the hug, now why don't we pick up where we left off?" She whispered and Eren obliged as he let her cuddle into him. The shifter couple held each other closer in a tight embrace, away from their troubles for the night.


	16. Soldier of Marley, Warrior of Paradise

**Alright time for a change of perspective, time for Reiner! Don't worry we'll get back to our shifter pair in about 4 or 5 chapters before it'll become complete Au depending on where the manga goes. I mean this story is already Au but canon style because it's so frustrating waiting a month for a new chapter. But I digress. Since we didn't really see much of Reiner returning to Marley I'm skipping ahead to when we saw him again at the the beginning of the Marley Arc. His set of chapters will go up to chapter 97 of the manga so beware of spoilers. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Soldier of Marley_ , _Warrior of Paradise_

Reiner stood next to Zeke onboard the carrier plane, high above the battle brewing below between Marley and the middle eastern union troops. The current objective was to take Fort Slava, being a position of high strategic value, making it nearly impossible to storm and take. However that wasn't stopping Marley from assualting the fort by sea port while his fellow Eldians and Shifters helped attack the front lines below. Down there the next generation of warrior candidates were being out through the harsh realities he and the others endured before. His own cousin was down there, along it a select few he came to know about from the next warrior trainees.

His little cousin Gabi had that mentality of _heroism_ like he did at that age, Falco who was a good hearted kid. He seemed to be a bit like Eren the more Reiner got to know him, always trying to improve himself for the sake of others. Calculating, smart Udo who seemed to have high anxiety, which sadly reminded him of Bert's lack of conviction. And finally Zophia who he didn't know much of, who's looks made her a damn ringer for Annie, though the first actually smiled much more.

Hell in the small amount of time he's seen the girl she'd smiled more than he's _ever_ seen Annie show _any_ sort of emotion. But she did have that dryish sense of humor that he rarely saw Annie exhibit on their time in Paradise. The more he thought of it, the more he sadly realized that he never really took the time to know Annie. She'd been his fellow shifter and warrior, but she seemed to be by herself in her own world, even when the trio were alone together in the 2 years before they joined the cadets. His thoughts returned back to the possible inheritors of the Armored Titan, _his Titan._

In a way they were like clones of his former friends, sometimes personality wise, but he also saw the very depressing similarity. _They were fighting for lies,_ thinking about nothing but becoming honorary Marleyeans, wiping out the island devils, or just making things better for Eldians in general, though he knew they'd never _voiced those_ ideas aloud. But he could tell those reasons just by observing them for the past 4 years. ' _4 years?_ _Damn, has it really been that long? 4 years since I returned, since Ymir and Bertoldt died, and 4 years since any activity regarding Paradise Island._ _Once we end this battle, it's only a matter of time before we head back there. Before I head back there. To the "devils" who will destroy the world if disturbed._

 _To my friends, to my former family._

 _ **What a load of crap** I grew up believing.'_

Reiner was brought from his increasingly dark musings by the flare lighting from below. That was the signal for their role to begin in this mission, against the middle East union. Though Reiner was a "warrior" in Marley's eyes, he's a _soldier_ at heart. That hasn't changed about him, and it _never will._ Not till he makes things right, not till he keeps his promises. Not until he frees every Eldian back home and in Liberio. He paused as he recaled what he just said. _"Back home and in Liberio." Isn't my home in Liberio with my mother? No...it isn't. That was a **prison** , an interment camp to guilt trip me and my kind. **Paradise** is my home. And I will free it. I will be the hero who saved the world.'_ Reiner kept up his act around everyone back home and out on the front lines, but he still couldn't supress a grimace at what was about to happen. He looked over at the 6 or 7 dozen Eldians wrapped in paratrooper outfits, but also bound with straightjackets. They had varying looks on their faces, ones that would growand stay with them as they became the very monsters he'd fought against for the years. Some were drilling with blank grins on their faces, not coherent at all to their fate. Others were fearful as they knew hat was to come, Eldians who were caught in some act considered treasonous against the _oh so great Marley._ And the last were former Soldiers and casualties from other battles who could join longer serve properly. They were to be disposed of, by act of _bombardment._

Prisoners, Eldians, soldiers, _bombs_. The back of the plane opened up and the troopers and slid out from the rails holding them upright and into the open air. Everyone below as well as those on the plane waited with cringing or fearful expressions as Zeke let loose a wild yell, just like the one Eren gave so long ago. The yell that ordered Titans to attack him Bertoldt, and the Titan before him. The yell _of the coordinate._

 ** _"RRAHHHHHHHHHHH!!"_**

In rapid and multiple flashes of lightning the paratroops grew and transformed into grinning, mindless Titans. Just like the process was done when taking the punished to Paradise, the Eldians before him were given a serum, however this one was unique. It came from _Zeke_ himself, which prompted questions that everyone back home, Marley, and even Reiner was curious about. _'How does he do that? It's never been heard of before by the former beast holder, and I've only seen Eren command Titans twice in one day. Zeke is a Jaeger, could they somehow have a connection to royal blood? But if so why hadn't we been told to search for that name aside from the Fritz and Riess by the Teibers?_ _There's still so much I don't know..'_

Reiner stopped his thoughts as he too leapt from the plane. He took note of Porkos and Pieck's positions on the beach front, away from the dropzone. He would be landing with Zeke in the very center, and quickly saw how many Titans were left. They were eating the mid eastern soldiers, the sight reminding him of Trost, of seeing fellow cadets get devoured before his eyes because of his mission. But the difference was that those people he'd cared about, had trained with, were _innocent._ These people weren't. They hated Eldians just like Marley, but didn't keep them alive as slaves like Marley did. They just killed them, and so Reiner did not take pity on these people. He had to let his anger at his oppressors out in someway, what better was than on people who also hates his race with a passion?

But soon enough he would give his power to Eren and the rest to have a better chance at destroying Marley. If he were alive to see it, it would be great. And if not well, he hopes that it'll be worth it in the end. That his death _will_ mean something. He shook his head to clear his mind, he has to keep up appearances after all.

"I've calculated how many died from the initial landing, and I've got the positions and numbers of all the remaining antiTitan cannons. Looks like it's just another wall!" Reiner shouted out to Zeke, who was falling beside him, and he felt a rush of memories of his time across the sea at the last word. Good times with friends, people who didn't know or face the hatred from the world. Not just yet, but most likely do now if Eren's mastered the power. In a quieter tone Reiner growled to himself as he slashed his palm with a knife to transform.

 _"I'm sick and tired of fucking walls."_ A flash of lightning struck his and then Zeke's body a moment later, and the pair landed after the other in the center of the fortress. As he landed Zeke spoke in his Titan form, continuing what he'd been saying before shifting, the words falling upon deaf ears as Reiner let his anger guide him, just like Eren had in their first Titan fight. ".. **War is never good."** Reiner ignored the hypocritical words and shielded his face from the antiTitan shells, only to discover that they could indeed _penetrate his armor_. He grabbed the massive guard tower planted near his position and began dragging it across the wall top, leveling it. Cannon and soldiers flees or were crushed under the destruction, but those on the other side from his makeshift weapon were preparing to fire on him. But thankfully, but _grudgingly_ Reiner saw Porko smash some of the cannons that were about to rain hell on his armor and possibly kill him.

 _'Galliard'_ Reiner growled inside his nape, but was outwardly unchanging. As troops began aiming at the jaw Titan Reiner finally destroyed their section of the wall with the tower and threw it down. Porko had leapt far away to safety back at the beach before it happened, since Reiner _really wished_ that he could kill the bastard who could threaten everything for his plan, his future. But he couldn't succumb to such desires, because he doesn't have the security of knowing his family is safe. Once everyone does that, once they go to reattack Paradise, _then_ he will make his move.

Zeke reached into a destroyed munitions house and grabbed a large handful of the anti Titan shells as he prepared to take care of the naval fleet out in the port. Once that hand went forward to end more lives and this war, Paradise would be back in the crosshairs of Marley. Reiners massive eyes widened for a moment as Zeke pulled back his arm and pitched the projectiles forward. He could see that one of the union ships had fired, the shell rocketing towards Zeke. In reality Reiner couldn't care less if he died, but because Reiner was so close to him, he would be questioned about why he didn't act if he saw it coming.

He would have his armor stripped from him, given to the next candidate who possibly wouldn't be Gabi. And if she _was_ the next inheritor, she would go insane. He hasn't told her yet, hasn't spoken a word about his true intentions to _anyone._ Her mind would shatter and she would either kill herself, or she would be eaten by a comrade of hers, one of the other candidates he'd come to know.

She wouldn't fight for all Eldians in his place, and he wouldn't be the hero who saved everyone. Everyone would continue to suffer. Nothing would change, the cycle would repeat itself until every Eldian was gone from the world.

He would die breaking his promise to Ymir, to Historia, to all of his friends.

 _'No, I won't.'_

Reiner stepped in front of Zeke and took the shell.


	17. Warrior Vs Soldier

**And I'm back! I know, slow update but I'm getting into motion with Chapter 98 being out. I've read it and I wanted to die at the ending, I can't wait another month!! As usual drop a review. Let us** **begin.**

 _Warrior vs Soldier_

Reiner sat in a room recovering from the stress of the past few days. The operation at Fort Slava had been successful, even if he'd nearly died. The war between the Mid-East union and Marley was over, a peace treaty signed because Zeke had destroyed most of the Unions naval fleet. All thanks to the power of the Titans, and the people who could become them, who were treated as a lower race of Devils. _'Disgusting.'_ He thought inside.

But the real worrying thought going through his head was the imminent return to Paradise with the next candidate for the Armored Titan, which he hoped in a way _was_ Gabi. _But_ he also didn't want to limit her life to just 23 years, and she still needs to be informed about the truth. He knows that soon he and the others will be heading back to Liberio before the operation would be declared active by Marley's commanders. Maybe there he would tell her, after all they do live close to each other, bearing the same last name.

But the fear of someone else being chosen also prohibits him from outright doing it, because then she would be in a tight spot with such knowledge but no power of 9. He accepted that he's going to have to play this one by ear, which is something he hasn't really done since coming back to the mainland. Everything was carefully planned and calculated, sometimes in the moment, but for the most part ahead of time with sufficient enough knowledge.

But none of this was at the forefront of Reiner's mind right now, as he lay dreaming. It isn't a pleasant dream, _it's a nightmare_. And it involves the friend he left to die 4 years ago.

 _It's right at the wall, in Shinganshina as Reiner takes in the vaguely familiar setting. It was here that he lost to Eren in combat, nearly died himself, and Bertoldt was defeated._

 _Bertold stood facing away from him, his body half gone from using his steaming ability._ _His body is moving slower than usual, and Reiner sees two figures soaring through the air on the odm gear towards his lost friend. Two figures that he and Zeke fears as well, the Ackermans. Levi, humanities strongest, and Mikasa, best of the 104th. Both with their blades at the ready, aiming right for Bertoldt exposed nape. Reiner tries calling out to his friend, to warn him but finds that he can't speak. His voice is gone, and much to his horror Bertoldt doesn't even move or acknowledge their presence._

 _He watches as the pair looms ever closer, ready to strike, their faces ones of anger and fierce determination. And why wouldn't they be? His best friend was the symbol of terror known around the world, and especially to the people of Paradise. But no more, whoever ate Bertoldt now had one of the greatest powers of Ymir._

 _Whoever consumed his best friend was now the God of Destruction._

 _And even though this is a dream from the fact that Reiner never saw what happened to Bertoldt, or how he was even defeated, he couldn't help but try calling out to his friend. He says the same word that he's used too many times in his life._

 _The word from his time in becoming a warrior. The word he spoke to Bert and Annie when they stopped running after they lost Marcel. That one word that he would grow to hate, not because he needed help._

 _But because he's **always** needed help._

" _Wait!!"_

Reiner wakes from the nightmare with his arm outstretched, just like the other times he's ever said that word with the most desperate of tones. He clears his eyes, trying to take in his surroundings, rembering where he was before sleep had claimed him. He sat up and was grateful that he appeared to be alone before a voice interrupted his peace. A voice which belonged to a person that he despised.

"You seemed like you were having a funny dream, that's why I didn't wake you." Porko said between bites of the sandwich he was eating while writing a report. _'Yeah I bet so you salty fuck. Must've been real funny to see me in pain, dreaming about all the shit I've had to go through because of lies you and everyone else on this goddamn continent believe.'_ Reiner thinks as he narrows his eyes, but he keeps his thoughts to himself. He instead takes his mind off it by replying to Porko's comment.

"You know I haven't thanked you for saving me during the past operation." He struggled as he was in a way grateful for being saved, because it meant he could complete his own mission, but he doesn't think of Porko any more than he did before. With probably the the least amount of hostility Reiner's ever shown him since their time in training, he grudgingly gave his gratitude towards the warrior of Marley. "Galliard...thank you."

The boys reaction wasn't what Reiner expected at first. Galliard turned to face him with an odd look in his face, and replied "You don't need to thank me for that." He began and Reiner's eyes widened in disbelief. _'Is..is he actually going to try and be nice? **To me?** ' _But that brief thought was shot down his next words, but Reiner wasn't surprised at all by it. "I wasn't saving you, I was merely saving my country Marley from your blunder of losing the Armored Titan."

 _'Of course. There's the Porko that I know and hate. Your days coming soon enough Galliard, and I'm gonna smile when you finally realize it. Right in your smug face.'_ Reiner's thoughts darkened as he listened further to the remaining Galliard twin speak.

"First, things would not be this way if 9 years ago _I_ had been selected for the operation to Paradise Island, that I would've inherited the Armored Titan. My brother would not have been devoured by the area's Titan, while saving _you_." Reiner's thoughts grew bitter as he recalled that moment _' Shut up you bastard. I don't need you reminding me of that, I see him enough in my nightmares. It should've been you who died, Ymir could've been given life again while your wouldn't been taken. A win win for me.'_ Speaking of Ymir, Reiner's carefully but casually asked porko a question. One he's been fearful if hearing the answer to for the past 4 years.

One that could ruin everything he's been planning and thinking of for so long.

"Dd you see his memories?" Reiner questioned and much to his relief, Porko shook his head. ' _Thank_ _Ymir for that.'_ He internally sighed, praising the deity and who his now gone friend inherited both her name and power from. Who all the warriors got their power from.

"No unfortunately, I did not see you abandoning my brother." Porko's accusation made Reiner nearly snap back in anger and outrage before his next words made Reiner stop in cold blood. "However I was able to understand my predecessors memories, or at least fragments of them. She was just a poor girl who was given a name that was too big for her. To bring back my brother's jaw was also her wish."

Strangle Porko's voice wasn't as bitter as he spoke her name, and Reiner couldn't help but feel more depressed than he was before. He remembered how Ymir looked just before her death, the look of utter defeat at knowing she had a regret left to this world. He remembered how her face looked just before Galliard already her, broken, empty, but _accepting_ in her own way.

Reiner mumbles under his breath, but loud enough for Galliard to hear it. "That's right. You're correct."

Porko goes on after regaining his usual composure, himself unsure what brought about that minor change in his demeanor. "So what did you do on that island? Did someone keep saving you?" Porko asked him, and Reiner looked to the floor with some of his inner depression showing.

He couldn't help it, and simply replied "Yeah, some did."

"From what little I saw of her memories, you seemed like a person those people looked up to. What was _that?_ You were mimicing my brother.." Porko said with some confusion in his voice, and a brief smile played on Reiner's face as he recalled those days once more. Playing orabjs with Connie and Sasha, sparring with Eren and helping him get through hard times in training. Grabbing the biggest load when they all were given instructions to move equipment or supplies. Breaking up fights at food times between Eren and Jean. He answers Porko's pondering as the smile leaves his face, remembering those days are long gone to him now.

"Yoir right Galliard. Everything you said, _was true_." He tells Porko, and Galliard looks at him in more puzzlement before the door is opened by the only person he really is at ease around whose not his family, Pieck. The girl was always kind to him, well kind to every one of the warriors really. Intelligent, peaceful, but with her own quirks. She was fun, in other words. He found her presence relaxing, but he found himself growing somewhat concerned as she walked in with a crutch.

Pieck spoke to the pair with her usual kind voice, one of those mellow smiles on her face. "Come now _Pokko_ , you should not tease people involved in a bombardment." Galliard was annoyed by her nickname for him. It annoyed him to no end, but not in a hateful way. "I told you never to call me by that name, _Pikku_." He grumbled, and she merely chuckled lightly at his own nickname for her.

Reiner asked the girl. "Is everything alright?" looking to her crutch. She held her crutch out further to explain "To two months I did not return to human form, and I ended up forgetting how to walk." She mused once more, and he was glad to hear that she would be fine. But her tone grew more concerned about _his well being_ with what she mentioned next. "But Reiner since your awake, why don't you go visit Gabi and the others? I know they've been worried since what happned at Slava."

Reiner knew the girl was right, they would be worrying over him for what he did to save Zeke. He appreciated Pieck's simple way of getting him away from Porko's hostility without causing a scene. She didn't want a fight to break out between them because they were both her friends.

 _'Nice girl, would've been nice if she were on the same side as me, but I don't think I can tell her. It's too bad, she seems to have the best head out of them. Hmm, wonder what she and **Armin** would've discussed if they ever met.'_ He mused to himself but outwardly he was unchanged. He sat up on his bed and readied to leave the room, thanking her with a smile like the one he wore on Paradise.

"Thank you for that Pieck, I think I will."


	18. Chosen Mirrors

**Ho** **pefully this is up about a week after the last update. I'm trying to hurry up with Reiner's set of chapters now that we've seen him and Eren meeting in Marley at the end of 98. Valteck this is more Au than the real story with manga style Canon in here, especially since we still haven't seen or heard form Annie since she went to sleep. As for the eradicating Marley thing, it's kinda predictable. They've been the oppressors of his race for 100 years, turned thousands if not _millions_ of eldians into Titans and harshly enslaved them since King Fritz was forced to abandon them because of the teibers rebellion. And even though the ones Marley kept were contained, look at how the other races in the world treated them at the Teibers party. They definitely want them dead without question, Willy admits it outright and even says he has a solution for such thoughts so it's not out of the question that Eren will indeed kill them if he wants to. I expect it to happen because remember what Eren said when he went berserk? " _I'll destroy the whole fucking world."_ why would he say that if there was no reason for it? If the world comes at him as their enemy, he will treat them as such and take care of them since he does have the power to do so. But only time will tell, the same for the whole deal with Zeke but I'll write more hints if we actually see whatever is going on with him. But I still hope he dies either way, he's done too much in my opinion. Well anyways sorry for the uber long author's note. I hope you guys enjoy. Drop a review, let us begin.**

 _Chosen mirrors._

Reiner had been outside for about a half hour at the seaport, looking over the shops and such, taking it all in. He finally spotted Gabi along with the others all at the Sea side, looking out over the bay. At the very ocean someone who was once a friend of his desired to see more than anything. _'Enough about the past, these guys need you now. Worry later Reiner.'_

He approached them all from behind, they hadn't known he was awake yet otherwise they probably would've been seeking _him_ out. He saw Udo kick at one of the docking anchors, probably overstressed over something. The act reminded him of Bert but the difference was Bert didn't lash out. He kept it inside, except for that time Armin brought up Annie, saying she was being tortured.Then Bert had snapped in a manner of speaking, and from Udo's actions just now getting must've been feeling something similar.

About what Reiner doesn't know, but he'll take his mind off it soon enough. ' _Poor_ _kid'_ Reiner thought as he called out to him. "Hey Udo! Stop kicking the towns property."

The reaction was immediate as Gabi turned with a huge grin in her face and rushed to give him a hug. He found himself smiling as he gave her a hug back, she yelled out his name in happiness. "Reiner! Your all better?" He nodded his head to their eager faces and in turn asked how they were doing as he gave them all pats on the head. "Udo?" he began and the boy replied with a happier tone than he'd used before "Just a little."

"Zophia?" he asked the girl who so resembled his lost comrade and she gave a faint smile and told him "Everything's fine." Gabi just gave him a big grin but when he finally got to Falco, the kid merely held up his hand in greeting "Hello." To be honest Reiner wasn't surprised, the kid had a somewhat rebellious streak in him that made Reiner keep an eye on him. He didn't take the boy's less enthusiastic comment than that of his comrades any differently. Before he could say anything else Gabi excitedly shouted to him "Did you hear? We're going back to Liberio!!".

Her face was lit up because he knew she was eager to see her parents, her aunt (his own mother) and tell them all of her accomplishment in helping destroy the armored train. But he also felt like a stranger seeing that kind of excitement on her face, she was so happy to be going home...to a prison. A prison that everyone else called a camp to make it sound better, deluding themselves out of fear or submission, brainwashing. But believing in such fantasies doesn't take away the walls, armed Marleyean guards or the fact that it has to be traveled by train in order to reach it. Because it wasn't close to the good people of Marley oh no, it had to he in it's own place, segragated by walls.

Isolated and safe from the "devils".

But Reiner won't dampen that happiness that he can see in her eyes and cringes only a little as he tells her "Gabi...your _too loud."_ The phrase don't seem to get through to her as she still excitedly shouts "But we're still going back! But till then let's take a walk in town, _please_??" He doesn't wince again but he does give a roll of the eyes. He knows she won't he swayed from it, and being the sympathetic uncle-ish figure he is despite them actually being cousins, he gives in.

Before they start walking Falco surprisingly speaks up with a hint of concern in his voice "But shouldn't Reiner be resting? I mean He's been through a lot lately..."

Reiner actually finds himself shocked at the young boys words, because they ring right on the dinner bell in his head. _He has been through a lot._ But that doesn't mean it should bleed out from him and onto these guys. They don't deserve to feel that, their all just kids. _'And so were all of you once.'_ a sad voice whispers in the back of his head as he lightly brushes off the boys concern.

"No I'll go, don't worry Falco. I'm fine." Gabi had a different reaction to the boys concern and merely snarked " _You_ can go to sleep Falco, but I wanna see the town before we head home! We won't get another chance!". Before they all start walking Udo nervously tries to sway her from going by himself. "But Gabi you heard Captain Magath, kids shouldn't go there..." but his resistance is shot down when Zophia admits "Well I did see him going in there..." And they all have a little argument and Gabi looks at Reiner with that confident smile on her face and Reiner's eyes widen at the sight.

It's like looking at a living flashback, a blast from his past. Where he sees Gabi he only sees Marcel.

Where Falco argues with her Reiner only sees Porko, though Reiner knows the biggest difference between them is their view of him.

Where Udo stands trying to keep peace with his hands up in neutrality between the two now stands Bertoldt, his face sweating like it always did. Always wanting to resolve it avoid conflict, and yet he _had_ the power to end nearly _any_ conflict with a simple slice of flesh and sting of lightning.

Where Zophia stands to the side with an amused smile on her face he only sees Annie's bored look, and both don't take place in the discussion at all. Both of them shared that look of msrely being bystanders to whatever situation the world throws at them. But Annie didn't seem to care about what was argued at all, Zophia _did_. But she was more content to sit and observe instead of making direct comments or not thinking before she says something.

And Reiner is standing right where he was that time of which these new candidates are reminding him of. His breath quickens a bit, his pupils looking afraid at the startling resemblence. He feels a bit of fear like he would on the boat back to the mainland. Fear of being seen as compromised, when in reality he wasn't _split_ but merely _awakened_ to the truth. Fear of losing his family, his friends if his secret got out. Fear of making the wrong choice, fear of not even knowing who he was. All that darkness and paranoia brought to him by these 4 kids who are his fellow warriors. ' _Marcel, Bert, Porko, Anni- **NO!**_ ' He mentally slaps himself, but physically he's almost unchanged. Only his eyes give it away, but they don't seem to be paying him any mind as they kept talking with one another.

' _No, it's not them, **it's not** **them**! Control yourself!_ ' He thinks as he falls back into what resembled his identity crisis for a moment. It's just like then when Bert had to bring his warrior side out, but there's no Bert anymore. ' _Just like there's no warrior or soldier side anymore._ _It's just Me!'_ He chants mentally, trying to steady his thoughts.

It's almost too much for him to handle as they start moving towards the town, to the more shady and matured section of city, oblivious to the struggle Reiner was facing right now. Reiner is barely getting a grip when he acts without thinking, reaching his hand out like he always did when he said the next word.

 _"Wait!"_

 _That one word_ that he hates but relies on like an addict. The word that means he's weak, that he can't do anything without needing the help of those around him, good people who shouldn't have to sacrifice themselves for him. He's _not_ gonna let that happen anymore. His mind clears as he looks to the new warriors, casting away the illusion of his former friends being in front of him.

They look at him in confusion, especislly Gabi and he flinches at that. He knows that she looks up to him a lot, that she joined the warrior program to be like him. He _inspired her_ , and the last thing he was gonna do is let her see her idol crack and fall. He already felt and saw that when he first faced Eren, and that was hard enough to deal with. _Gabi was his family, and he would do whatever it took to protect his family. Even from themselves._

Shaking his head to clear it Reiner put on his confident facade like he'd done on Paradise years ago. "It's too soon for you 4 to go to _those_ kind of shops. Here let's go that way." He told them as he steered them away from the street they were trying to go and instead lead them towards the more open brighter shops. Shops that wouldn't make the kids all grow up to fast, though with the world they live in it almost didn't matter.

Gabi had risked he ride to deliver a _bomb_ against the mid eastern union. Reiner, Marcel, Annie and Bert were no younger than these 4's age when they brought an entire country to it's knees. There was no way he could stop them from seeing the world around them, but he could help ease them into it.

Just like how he will ease Gabi into her situation by telling her the truth if he is given the chance when then they reach home. With the imminent return to Paradise looking to him, reiner is going to have to decide soon, especially if she does gain the permission. Reiner begins going through the back up plans, the things hes carefully alid out in case his secret was ever discovered. Escape routes, transportation to Paradise.

 _It's time._ And now all he needs is a chance.


	19. Mother of the Armored Devil

**Okay we're gonna have a small bit of a time skip to when Reiner and the others reach Liberio. I know I skipped the train portion of chapter 93 but it would've been confusing to write with how Reiner comes off as wanting to save Gabi when in this he _wants_ her to inherit his Titan so she can have his memories and make a difference. This chapter will _not_ have the major flashbacks like most of the Marley arc was composed of, but still have references to them. Now no matter whether I go full Au after this with how I first envisioned Reiner and Eren meeting again like I wanted it to be or do it full manga style where I have to write in the Teibers festival, _I will write him and Eren interacting in either fashion, it's too perfect of a scenario to ignore._ Let me know what you all want, and also after this chapter we will return briefly to Eren and the rest for our favorite Eldians. But never fear it'll return right back to Reiner. _Carefully_ read the ending of this one. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Mother Of The Armored Devil._

The doors of the train opened to shine sunlight into the cramped interior of the cars, and the first thing that came out was a girl leaping and throwing a kick through the air in excitement. "We're home!" She shouts out to her fellow Eldian soldiers and warriors, and the man who was both merely gave a false smile at her enthusiasm. He couldn't feel more depressed at the way the words were spoken, as if they were the best thing in the world.

But he wouldn't ruin it for her just yet, but it will be happening soon enough. Maybe not now but in the very near future.

Reiner marched and shuffled with the other Eldians through a city that borders Liberio, trying his hardest not to grimace or lash out at the bastards glaring at him and his kind as they head for their prison. That's right, _prison, not camp_. He's not going to delude himself with such false titles any longer, he's kept at it long enough for 4 years to just suddenly use the word because everyone else uses it if they don't wish to call it home without sounding rebellious

He held his head with determination while ignoring the looks of disgust he too even received, despite being claimed as the "most loyal warrior and Eldian to all of Marley", almost more so than warchief Zeke. It was almost hilarious, because he's had _no_ _loyalty to them_ whatsoever for the past 4 years, and possibly longer than that considering his behaviour on Paradise.

He could've sworn all he wanted back then to Annie when she questioned his plan to attack Trost by claiming many of his friends would die, that they meant nothing to him. But even then he was lying to himself though on a smaller scale. It was nowhere near as bad as how he'd been in the forest of giant trees, nor on the return boat to the mainland. He'd just been lying to himself that it was an act but the situation with Marco, the aftermath and death count all began to take their toll on his mental state. His time with Bert and the rest of the southern team made it worse, harder for him to distinguish and manage the two.

But enough of that, he was about to see his family as the guards began opening the gate.

On the other side of the chainlinked gates topped with barbed wire, Reiner saw a massive group of Eldians standing there. For a foolish moment Reiner fantasized about them being a massive riot that was overthrowing the guards as they opened the gates, but alas one could've only hoped. They stand waiting with anxious faces, families, some he remembers and some he does not. He sees Gabi go to his aunt and uncle, her parents with hugs and words of thanks. He so sees her beginning to tell of her accomplishments, just like he'd predicted she would.

He watches Zeke go to his grandparents, since his own father is dead and Eren is still on Paradise. And finally he sees _her_ , he sees his poor deluded mother. How he wishes she wasn't so brainwashed, but he had the chance to escape that and took it.

"Reiner."

He approaches her with a soft smile on his face, and though he knows he's no longer loyal to Marley, her little warrior, he's still warmed a little to be able to see her again. "Mother..." She gives him a soft and proud smile, her weary eyes and face seeming to come to life at seeing her only son after 9 years. For most of the biggest changes of his life he hasn't even been on the same _continent_ as her, so seeing her now despite their internal and ideological differences fills him with a sad but glad feeling of melancholy. "I bet that your exhausted. You should come home and take a rest." she tells him in the same tone she would when he was younger.

The one she would use when talking about his father, about why they weren't able to be a family because of the bloodlines. But Reiner didn't care much for his Marleyean father, the one who'd despised him. So he fought as a warrior on Paradise then on for his mother. But even then all that happened with Marcel, realizing that he wasn't good enough to be the Armored Titan, he still _hadn't understood a damn thing._

And he wouldn't till many years later, he wouldn't see the true weight for his sins. He wouldn't realize that he's been lied to for his entire life, that he's been stick inside of walls no matter where he went because of lies. And yet here he was telling lies to appease the people of Marley, the Eldians who looked up to him including his own cousin and her friends, and soon too his mother. But through all that debating the only words Reiner can say to her with that confident but reassuring voice.

"Thank you, I think I would like that very much mother."

The voice makes things harder to bear at the moment, his own mission feeling discomfort at the feeling of being reunited with his family. _'Focus Reiner. Your happy to see her, but things aren't the same anymore. You need to be careful, but don't destroy yourself over it. Remember your promise. Be the hero who saves these people.'_

Reiner barely says his response to her before hearing Gabi shouting out in joy at seeing his mother as well. "Aunt Katrina!" She rushes up and Katrina Braun also holds her neice in a warm embrace, after all after Reiner she'd started to see the same spark in her eyes that her boy once had. So during his time abroad she had gotten closer to Gabi, wanting to make sure she were alright and strong. Before he knew it dinner plans are already being made for tonight to celebrate the return of the Braun clan's warriors.

 _Or warrior and soldier,_ he should but can't say.

Behind the Braun family the young warrior in train Falco notices men walking in a line outside one of the buildings a block away from the main gates. He notices that these men while Eldians are different, some are missing limbs as he sees one man with an eye patch and crutch moving along at a slower rate than most. Others he noticed were shaking in the bodies from small places like their hands to larger ones like their legs, some even were having full body ones. A few were talking to themselves under their breath and holding their sides, clearly not seeing the sake place he and everyone else was. He starting walking over and noticed the man leading them, Mr Koslo. He decided to ask about the odd scene.

"Mr. Koslo, are these men injured?" Falco asked though he could clearly see it on wuite a number of them. The dark haired man spared him a glance as if just noticing his presence. "Huh? Stay out of the way forehead kid. These are Eldians who got Ptsd out there, and they ain't got relatives to boot. So their gonna stay and be recieving help at the hospital here." Falco looks on at the men shuffling by with pity and even a small form of shock. He asked Koslo "Even here in this country?!" and the man replied with a shrug and somewhat lighter tone to his darker words.

"Mhm. It's apparently what happens when you have 'em digging trenches on the frontline for too long. Ya know, with the bombs and bullets whizzing past their heads like _fwhooooom, BA-BANG!!"_ Koslo sudden shouts out and jumps at the men, causing them to freak out and fall down. Some gripped their heads as if bombs were falling, others were curled up in fetal position just waiting for death to claim them. The sight sickened Falco at the racious and disgusting humor of which Koslo did it before the man was scolded by a fellow officer for the stunt.

Falco saw his family looking his way but he decided to stay for a whole and help these men. He waved his parents who were carrying his brother Colt off, he was still feeling the hangover from last night's drunken antics. Falco tried helping one man cowering on the ground covering his head by helping sit him upright, and tried soothing him by talking calm and low to him. But the effort wasn't helping this man much, but still he kept at it "It's okay, are you alright? Your o-" but something catches Falco's eye as he looks around him for those who need his help more.

It's the man with the crutch and eye patch, he's fallen down and his stump of a left leg isn't much help in getting up. But that's not what caught the warriors eye, it's the Eldian armband is on the wrong arm. He knows the cost of such a mistake, and goes to help the man immediately. He tells the man his mistake in a low tone to not alert anyone elsebwhile fixing it. "Your armbands on bsckwards, but it's alright. Your safe, it'll get better soon. You don't have to fight anymore."

"Thanks kid. I owe you one." The man tells him, and up close Falco starts to take him in more. The man's got facial hair in the form of a dark haired but small beard, and a light mustache over his lips. His dark hair is long enough to easily reach his shoulder, but Falco is drawn to the one eye on the man he can see. While the left is covered with a white medical patch, the right eye can be clearly seen to be a bright green emerald. It's something unique to the boy, because he's never seen such a color on those in Liberio before, nor the dulled energy that's hidden within it. It's a interesting sight to say the least, and not wanting to be rude Falco responds to him "It's no problem, I'm just doing what's right. Otherwise it would've gotten harder for you mr-Uh..sorry, I don't know your name sir. I'm Falco Glaus."

The man looks into his eyes, as if searching for something but he gives no sign of whether he found anything distrustful in him. He looks the boy up and down and replies in a somewhat gruff voice "Krueger. You can call me _Mr Krueger_ , Falco."


	20. Heaven and Paradise

**Ah there's nothing like a happy family dinner right? Well I'm glad to see feedback for the last chapter to say the least. As for Eren and the crew destroying the world, it'll only happen if the world comes at them first. The world hates them, but I still feel that we're being lied to even now regarding the history of Eldia and Marley. If you wish I'll pm or explain my theory about the _true_ story in a authors note in a chapter or two. Well I've rambled enough. As usual drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _Heaven and Paradise._

 _"And then I_ _was_ _just_ _about to get hit by a lead ball,_ _when_ _Galliard saved me with his Jaw titan power!"_

Like Reiner had predicted earlier on the way to Liberio, Gabi was busy telling her parents, his mother and a few others about her actions in the war. Reiner merely kept a neutral smile at the girls enthusiasm in order to hide his own musings about being back "home". But at least the rest of his family were praising her on, especially her parents. "That's amazing!" he hears her mother say, tears of pride falling from her eyes. Reiner sees her father holding and ruffling her head, declaring "Your the savior of the Eldians!"

Reiner almost snorted at that last part, but in an abstract way he supposed that her father _was right_ about that part. Gabi _would be a savior_ to their race, but she certainly won't be the one leading them all. Reiner has a very clear idea of _who_ most likely will be, and hopes that once he gives Gabi the truth and power, that she can help lead them into the light.

Of course he will have to put in his own contributions, mainly his life and the power of 9 that he weilds. His mother turned to him and asked a question, a vital one that he has to be careful in how he words his answer. "Do you think Gabi will be able to become a warrior, Reiner?"

He looks to Gabi first, to her parents, and before settling his eyes on his mother, and finally replied after a moment. "...Yes, based on the military achievements this time around, I have no doubt that she's guaranteed to inherit the Armored Titans power." Reiner noticed Gabi's face redden at the deep praise he'd just given her, and he allowed himself to give a genuine smile at that. Even if it's misplaced, the sentiment behind it is enough for her, and good enough to him for now.

His mother had a proud if somewhat weary look on her face, her eyes proud as she then speaks fondly of Gabi and himself. "That's good, it's incredible that our clan was able to offer up _two_ warriors. I'm very proud of you two for being able to get Marley to notice you." He kept his false smile at his mother's praise, but he was starting to get ticked at still being seen as a _warrior_ to them.

But of course they couldn't be allowed to know what he was _really_ thinking. Otherwise he'd be getting arrested and then eaten by either Gabi if _she_ weren't accused of treasonous thoughts, or Falco based on the boys drive and skill to save Gabi. But his smile melted like ice under a large flame at his mother's next words, and his gaze hardened to be as cold as Annie's crystal.

" _Now if only those dammed island devil's would disappear,_ then we _good Eldians_ would be able to live in _happiness_."

Reiner averted his eyes from her, hiding one of his fists clenching under the table. The other he leaned his chin on, staring at the pattern of the wooden table to distract his mind from the sudden change in topic. He took slower but quiet breathes to control himself. _'Your brainwashed, all of you. You don't even know that those people were innocent, ignorant to the truth.They were the farthest thing from devils. And I was sent to them, because of the **lies** I was raised on!'_ He sees Gabi giving reassurances to his mother, her own naive determination showing.

"It'll be alright Auntie Karina, us from the warrior unit will protect all the Eldians from those devils. Don't worry!" He flinches as he sees that fire in her eyes, the determination that he foolishly once held in his own. He wanted to become a warrior to protect his mother, to reunite his family. To exterminate the island devils and protect the world...only to discover the same day he left that his marleyean father hated and wanted nothing to do with him or his mother. To discover and experience for half a decade that the people of Paradise _weren't devils or a threat at all_ , that they didn't even know other people exsisted outside the walls. That they were hated for in fact _saving_ a portion of the Eldians race from utter and complete genocide.

Reiner had been too deep in his musings that he almost didn't catch himself being brought into the conversation by Gabi's father. "..even though you had the power from Marley, the nation with the greatest military power.." her father trailed off but Gabi spoke up then to defend Reiner, giving him the chance to collect his thoughts.

"Stop it, you know we can't ask him about that. It's not something he can really talk talk about, no one but the Marley officers are to know. Besides, it's hard on Reiner too." Hearing Gabi trying to help him reminds him of all the people in his life who came to his defense, came to help him.

 _'No.'_

Reiner speaks up, his tone serious but not cold. It was more like the one he talked to Eren with after his reveal in the giant trees. "No it's fine, there are _some_ _things_ that I can tell you. I infiltrated the army on that island and...it was truly Hell."

 _'It was Hell because I helped make it that way. Me, Bertoldt and Annie, all pawns of the people who made that island Hell._ ' He thinks and continues, trying not to smile at a memory he's then thinking of.

"Everyone there really was a devil, all of them were cruel and barbarous. Like at the induction ceremony, when _someone suddenly started eating a potato._ " He says, careful not to say the name of the red headed girl with a food craze he came to be best friends with. _'Sasha.'_ He continues in a mocking tone, but to them it still sounds dead serious. "When our intructor yelled at her for it, that person replied with a completly remorseless answer. She said it looked yummy, so she stole it."

Reiner would never forget the look of utter defiance he'd seen on Sasha's face that day, the girl hadn't looked perturbed at all under the hard gaze of his old intructor Shadis. He continues "But as wicked as that person was, they still recognized their wrongdoing. So they said they would give half of the potato, in an offer to bribe the intructor. However the person didn't even break off half in the first place to give over."

He still remembers the look of utter confusion on Shadis face when Sasha gave him "half" of her potato. _'Hmpf Half, more like a **ten** **th**.'_ He cleared his head, still keeping his composure and continuing "And that's because the person didn't have any intention of sharing it in the first place." He paused and noticed Gabi staring at him, puzzled at what he was saying. He went on, unaware of the slightly sad tone creeping into his voice. "They were truly...a bunch of hopeless bastards.

' _They_ _were my best friends.'_

"I met idiots who went to the bathroom and forgot about why." 'Connie wasn't _the brightest, but he pulled through when people needed him.'_

"A selfish bastard who thought of no one else but himself." ' _Jean_ _was selfish in the beginning, but we still got along. He changed during and after Trost, he became a leader. And I know he changed his regiment because of what happened to...'_

"A _selfless_ bastard who cared too much about those around him." ' _Poor_ _Marco, someone who should've just been somewhere else. His kindess and wanting to see the safety of his comrades is what got him killed. **My** **carelessness** is what killed him.'_

"A person driven by revenge who was known as a suicidal maniac, and the close friends who followed him." ' _The_ _Shinganshina trio, the people who made the biggest difference against us, against Me. Eren who was like a brother to me, who I helped the most. Mikasa, the deadly girl who was foolishly in love with him, who tried and nearly killed me twice. Armin, the genius with the intellect to destroy or discover whatever he wished. The one who managed to defeat Bertoldt, by sacrificing himself.'_

"And also..." he began as he recalled the two goddess he met there. One he loved, one he doomed. Both were different, but both had bonded with each other, because in ways they were the same. _'Historia, Ymir.'_

He hastily covered up his hesitation by referring to him and the other warriors, His lost friends. "Amongst that diverse bunch...there was _Us_." He began to say, looking away from his family, trying not to seem depressed at the memories he held inside. But he fails as he looks back up to them, his eyes hard as his titan's armor. "My days spent there...were truly _Hellish_."

His eyes widened at bit as he saw everyone looking at him in shock, and his mother looked _scared._ He tried to brush off the change in atmosphere by saying "Sorry...I spoke too much. Forget I said anything." But things weren't going to be that simple as Gabi naively asked him a question, not understanding. "What do you mean a diverse bunch? They...they were all bad guys, weren't they?" He looked away at that, trying to keep himself in control. As much as he wants to tell her the truth more than anything, now isn't the time. _Not yet._

His mother instead began frantically speaking to Gabi like she would to Reiner when he was a child, the way she brainwashed him into being loyal to this scum of a country. "That's right Gabi, the people on that island are _demons_. Demons who want to turn the world into hell, who built their own Utopia on a mountain of bodies." Reiner eyes hardened once more as his mother starts preaching the same bullshit she did him to Gabi.

"But we are different. We Eldians of the country must offer up our lives to atone for the gruesome sins we committed against Marley, for we are the righteous race. We don't know when those Islanders will make a move to destroy the world with their Titans. But we Eldians are the only ones capable of stopping them, and once we do that, the rest of the world will see good in our race and accept us." He sees Gabi just blindly accepting it, just like he did. He spoke once more to Gabi directly, to reposition his cover.

"That's right Gabi. _That's_ why I'm telling you this, soon you'll be going there too. If you feel curious or have questions, come talk to me. I'll tell you _everything you need to know_ , _and_ _I_ _want you to be ready."_

And with that, dinner ended.


	21. theory, not a chapter

**Okay this isn't a new chapter, more of a update. This will be my main theory as to the true history of Eldia, Marley and the rest. also has my theory regarding the future of AoT in a few ideas. Mainly there's quite a few things that don't make sense to me regarding the history as we've been shown. Here are my theories:**

Eldians in general might've been an opressed people before Ymir Fritz gained the Titans power. I do think she never made a deal with the devil, but like the owl said instead discovered the source of all organic life. Magath admitted to Willy Teiber that Marley has always been a war driven country, and would be until it runs itself into the ground. Now I think that Marley hated the Eldian race akin to what the Nazis did to the Jews, and killed oppressed them _before_ Ymir Fritz came along.

So my theory regarding the "devil's" ideiolofy was that once Ymir got her powers, she used them to wage war against Marley. However I don't think it was like how it was described with the ethnic cleansing or such, because Eren Krueger made it clear that if the Eldian race _really_ did that sort of atrocity for 1,100 years, they're wouldn't be a single strand of marleyean hair nor any other races hair. So I'm not saying Eldians are completely innocent, but not the devil's the world makes them out to be.

Willy also claimed that Marley suffered theost under the Eldians war, and I believe that part to be true regarding Eldia vs Marley definitely happening at some point in history. The rest of the world has been sgockipiimg and developing weapons to fight against the 9 Titans to that Marley uses to carry out their war mongering, and if they only recently gained this achievements, Eldians easily would've wiped them out centuries ago when they had no such technology.

I have the biggest feeling that the Eldian race was once like that one kid in class who always gets bullied by the rest of the students and one day rises up and strikes back, sometimes in shocking ways. And because the Eldians what such power, they fought against those who wronged them in the past. So again not completely innocent, but _not_ devils. Owl admitted that some of the propaganda he gave the restoration movement _was false_ , but I do believe Ymir Fritz made things better for her people, hence why they saw her as a goddess.

To the rest of the world they would've only seen a threat, and so being salty at Eldians for finally having enough, claim them to be devils. For the hatred they face _now_ is largely because of Marley enslaving and using the 7 Titans they had under control as weapons for their wars, getting the rest of the world to hate them even more as shown by the world leaders.

Now for the 7 Titans under Marley rule, things are 1,000% this way because of the teibers. the fritz family were the ones to restore order and stop war amongst the houses, so why would the teibers raise rebellion against them? My theory is the family began to become brainwashed by false ideology about their race, through Marley or other races they occasionally fought against, much like how the current generation is deluded about the people of Paradise.

Now I do admit that the 145 the king abandoned his people, there's no doubting that. However I feel he had no choice, inorder to protect his people he had to sacrifice some to save the majority. However he had too much faith in his oath to renounce war that he knowingly wiped the memories of those in the walls. Now this knowledge _is still_ alive in his mind, which currently resides in Eren Jaeger. He was able to revieeve memories not only from friend because of the royal bloodline and his father consuming her, but also from Eren _Krueger._

I believe Krueger recieved memories from _the future,_ hence his odd words of saving Mikasa and Armin. I believe that he received tthose memoreis in a failed attempt of someone sending memories from the future in order to _change the past._

If it were successful, hypothetically, then the Eldian race wouldn't suffer the atricitues it's faced since king fritz left to Paradise island. Its a Longshot, and maybe that's also why no prwvieos holder of the founding tian was able to overcome the ideollgy of the 145th king. he didn't want to risk it and because of that lack of conviction, continues to doom his race.

The time travel and transferring of memories can be seen in the very first episode of the anime, and shown in the manga in Eren's mind as a child the day his home fell. Eren saw the splattering of blood on flowers in the same fashion as Dina Fritz aka smiling titan killing Hannes. But _before that_ he was shown to be talking with a woman named _Mikasa_ , but a much older and different woman. So if not time travel theory, then it's a _reincarnation_ theory. After all Eren in the latest chapter so resembles Krueger in both personality, looks, and especially in the eyes. Even if it's apart of his cover as a spy in Liberio, I feel that he really has changed and become his predacessors in a way. Granted he matured more in the uprising arc alone, but afterwards when regarding his future of who he really is as a person, he seems very different.

So either Eren can be _Krueger_ reincarnated, or Eren's line is possibly one of the original bearers of the attack titans. If so that's why they all seem the same as time went on, even grisha was different when he finished killing the Reiss family minus Historia.

As for the next chapter, I know things are getting real intense. Reiner is most likely gonna join. Eren and the rest, and I feel they will make their move at the festival, since Eren told Falco about "going home to his family" after the festival passes. Hopefully he can get the understanding by the next warrior generation if he tells Falco and the Gabi the truth. They aren't stupid, the know the things their kind faces are wrong, and so I think they will join the Paradiseans. I also think Eren will use the founding titan to command or enlighten the people of Liberio about the truth, and Reiner may help in talking to them since he is their most admired warrior and he's been to Paradise. He knows the truth, so he definitely play a part in saving his people.

Zeke...i still hate but will admit that he's hiding something. Until we see more of what he's planning I will still hate him, he's killed too many to me, and yes more than just Erwin. He killed nearly every scout and tarnsofrmed dozens of innocent people into mindless Titans as well as the people use in the bombardment operations. So still fuck Zeke. He's my least favorite warrior, Porko is next because of how much of an asshole he is to Reiner in general. Even as kids he was a plain douchebag to him, plus he killed Ymir.

Ymir deserved better.

Pieck seems to know things aren't as they seem, but she know stherw isn't much choice hiben her and the other warriors situation. I hope she joins the Paradiseans side.

Those are my latest theories regarding regarding AoT or SnK in general. If you have more questions or theories of your own, pm me on either the mobile app or the actual site. Long live Ymir.

ps, next chapter will be up soon as I've already finished it. The chapter after _that_ should be nice surprise!


	22. The Beasts of Paradise

**Okay mild Eren and Annie here, but I've decided big divergence for next chapter. I'm doing the big meeting _my_ style instead of how it was done. Nothing else much to say, drop a review. Let us begin.**

 _The Beasts of Paradise._

Eren stood watching at Annie conversing with Armin and the others. Over the past few months they've been able to build a semi normal relationship with her, considering they didn't really had one before her betrayel due to her closed off nature. But still she was one of them, and this time fully on their side. Of course his stepsister was still very distasteful of the girl, but she _had_ been getting better to a degree.

 _Now_ _they could actually be in the same room as each other without killing one another._

Given what had happened between them months ago, it seemed like a god given miracle that Eren was grateful for. So little time had passed for the massive accomplishments they've made so quickly that it was still so surreal. In other words, things were progressing very nicely for the eventual war against Marley and other countries if need be.

7 months had passed since her awakening, and since that fateful day the people of Paradise island have been preparing for War, a war greater than they thought imaginable. Because the war would not only decide their fate, but the fate of all Eldians left in the world. Their race was dwindling ever closer to extinction outside of the prison of Liberio where Marley kept it's prisoners. Apparently other countries were not so " _accepting_ " of their race, and either shipped them to Marley like animals or just _got_ _rid of them the easy way._ It sickened him and the others of the military, shifter or not when they were first told the disturbing revelation by Annie.

It was do or die now, ever since those scouting boats from what Annie had distastfully called the "Mid-Eastern Union" had arrived and cautiously ventured into the island for it's resources. Since word was received of Marley no longer travelling to the island, the country decided to try their luck at procuring it's fossil fuel possibilities.

Eren and the rest hadn't been exactly prepared for this situation, after all they were ready to fight and steal _Marley's_ ships, so they debated on what to do with these other outsiders. The decision was quick and final, attack _only_ if provoked, therefore opening the possibility of gaining potential allies if no action happened. So they hid and watched for a few days, before finally revealing themselves to the recon groups of being aware at their presence on the island.

The first meeting the Paradiseans gave to the trespassing wasn't hostile nor threatening, but merely the recon groups being confronted by the military and shifters. They were asked of their business here and the possible hopes to seek an alliance were a priority, since Annie told them they were a rival country to Marley. But things had gone sour from the moment Annie, Armin and Eren revealed that they were titan shifters, and the harsh tension that had already been building turned into an all out slaghter as the troops began attacking and retreating to their boats to escape the "island devils" as Eren remembered them saying as they fled.

But with their combined power of Titan shifter and scouts, the M-EU soldiers hadn't made it far. They were rounded up and captured, those who wouldn't surrender and continued to fight were promptly exceuted. It may have left a bad taste in a small number of their mouths but they wouldn't allow anything to hinder their progress, their fight for freedom. They've had enough for the past century of being trapped without hope. They weren't willing to sacrifice anything else when all they've done is sacrifice. Now it was time to take action, especially since they now had a possible way to infiltrate Marley by means of the _unions boats._

Annie had left with Eren to secure the M-EU's boats before any alarm could be sent, a small group of scouts escorting them to the place one fearful soldier told them their ship anchored down at. Since the man had surrendered and gave them information, they gave him better conditions in his imprisonment. Granted the man was still a prisoner, he wasn't treated like an animal like _he'd_ been when jailed after Trost.

But it was under a firm declaration by the Queen herself to her military as well as the citizens of the island that once Paradise struck back and achieved their goal, that any prisoners of war would be released back to their countries. It was a token of no ill will, but would serve as a warning and a reminder that they will _not_ stand for attacks or invasions in the future from _anyone._ Such attempts would be met with _full lethality,_ after all once the war against Marley was done, the island dwellers would once again have all 9 of the Titans to protect them and their home.

Or that was the endgame at least, a plan still needs to be put into effect.

Eren watched absentmindedly as Hange and Armin conversed with Annie about which of the 3 plans for the assualt on Marley to use. No matter which plan they chose it would certainly end in death, in large numbers possibly on both sides. It would also end with fleeing back to Paradise once every Eldian was freed and the 9 secured.

What kept Eren's mind thinking however was how or _if_ they should try to secure all the titan powers at once. From Annie's words of Marley being the only country to host Eldians, it was a possibility that even if they failed initially to secure the powers, they would get them in time. If the last Eldians were all on Paradise, then it was a guarantee that the powers would return to the island once the tenures came.

Eren visibly flinched at that knowing roughly just how long he and Annie have together, but luckily no one noticed. Armin was more at ease since he was still fairly new to this, but he too has a limit on his life. 13 whole years left for his best friend, Annie had about 7, and Eren only has 8 himself. He received his power after home fell, Annie was given hers a few months before the attack, about half a year.

The thought that Annie would die before him stabbed Eren deeply in the heart, as did the thought of his friend being taken from a full life as well. But it's not like there was anything he could do to stop or slow it, none of them could. The world was a cruel place, that was the most truthful thing he'd ever heard from Mikasa. He too remembered thinking about it in Stohess in order to fight. " _Right or wrong, it_ _doesn't matter anymore! Just kill, consequences be dammed_! **_Because_** _**it is a cruel world!** "_

All they can do is fight, and fight, and live until someone kills them or the Curse fianlly claims them. But Eren knew that despite that knowledge Armin, Hange, and Mikasa as well would try to think of a way to escape from this fate that awaits them all.

It was honestly one of the biggest depressing things he's faced in his life, from his mother's death to now. Learning his father's past and fate, Dina Fritz's sad story, even though she killed his mother as the smiling titan. His time as a captive learning that he _wasn't special,_ that his ability was just something passed to him from the sacrifices of others. Annie's initial betrayel, as well as Reiner and Bert's not even a full day after.

Bertoldt's death also hurt him even if the boy had chosen to be a warrior following the road that led to the end. Thinking he'd killed Reiner despite what he's done, and finally _the_ _basement_. Oh the basement and all it's morbid and Earth shattering Revelations. And the chance to go to the beach for he first time, but not as he and Armin pictured it growing up, with smiles on their faces.

They'd been robbed of that dream, and even though they rejoyced at finally arriving at the sandy shore meeting the vast body of water that spanned the world, _it wasn't the same_. Now when they looked out at it all they saw was the enemy, imagining the constant horrors and opression their race blindly accepted because of how the world viewed his kind. But he shook his head from such thoughts, now wasn't the time to be thinking of that. The time to attack would come, but for now he should take some time to just enjoy what time he does have left. And that meant spending it with Annie.

He walked over to her and Sasha who had recently shown up while Hange, Armin and the other intelligence officers they conversed with decided to end their talks for now. Annie's head turned to see him, a small frown on her face at something Sasha had asked her but he'd been unable to hear. Eren in turn frowns and asked the two about what they've been talking about, which Sasha hesitantly answered "I just wanted to know if it was still a possiblity for you two to bring Reiner back um.. _alive_. Ya know, if you guys try the infiltration thing." Eren can see the red head's face looks a bit sad, but before he can reply Annie speaks to her.

"Sasha we've been over this, we aren't sure which plan we're using yet. And even if we do try spying first, contacting or even searching for Reiner is risky. We don't know what he's done in the past year, and that's if he's still alive. You remember what I said about what awaited us for failing right?"

At this Sasha flinched, and Eren too sighed at the thought of Reiner being dead. Granted the blonde was still considered the enemy since he chose to go back to them in his identity crisis, but like in Shinganshina, he would still be a bit saddened at his death. He knew what Annie said was the truth, but that didn't mean he liked it. None of them did, but they don't have a choice. It's just how things are.

Sasha nodded her head glumly, both shifters could see that she'd been hoping for a better answer. She began to speak low, depressed. "I know, it's just...I heard you two talking with Armin about how his mind is, and I guess I got a small bit of hope that he could still help us. That he wasn't...someone we have to kill, _again._ "

Eren and Annie locked eyes for a moment, and they too felt the aura of sadness the girl was inside of. Eren decided to word his answer as best he could. "We don't know what will happen in the future Sash but, _should_ the opportunity arise and we _can_ recruit him, I'll give it a try. That's the best I can offer you and every one of us 104ths." The girl looks up at him, her sad gaze lifting a bit, and spoke to him "Your right, it's all we can hope for, right?"

 _'Yes, that's exactly right. All we can do, is Hope.'_ Eren thinks.


	23. Little Talks

**The long awaited talk between Falco and Eren! It's obviously Au but not too much since we have some idea of how they came together from the events of chapter 93, 94 and 97 into 98. Hopefully this will be out before chapter 99 since it's been pushed to the 11th, and then we can see if things finally go down or if it'll be strictly a Reiner and Eren chapter. If this one isn't up by then it's no big deal, just gives me more wto work with plot wise. And I don't mind either way, but I still demand word on Annie. It's been _too damn long!!_ Well hope you readers enjoy. Drop a review, let us begin.**

 _Little Talks_.

Falco sat on the bench next to Mr. Krueger, the two enjoying each other's company once again. As there were break periods between training such as lunch or visits for family Falco had taken the time to get to know more about his recently gained aquaintance. As usual the man had his eye patch on his left eye, his long hair hanging down his face. His stump of a left leg was still of course in it's wrapped up coverings from the knee down. He also held his crutch in front of him with his arms crossed as he sat back, taking in the world around him with tired and weary looking eyes.

Not much had change since Falco had first met the man by helping him fix his arm band, now at least he was able to keep it on the right limb since then. But he supposed there were _a few things_ different from when they first talked, after all the man's eyes seemed _more alive_ during the times Falco would run letters for his family to the mailbox. The dulled energy he'd first seen in the man's eyes broke down whatever barriers usually held them in place when the letters were mailed. The boy never made mention of this change in behaviour, and nor did he question the nature regarding _why_ the letters had to be delivered by the mail _outside_ the perimeter gates.

Mr Krueger had explained when Falco first asked about the hospital staff possibly checking his letters and finding out he _wasn't_ tramatized by the recent mission. Falco sympathized with him, knowing that the doctors they had while helpful weren't particularly forgiving if they would find they were wasting their time on the man the boy visited so often nowadays. So in the end Falco never asked, and Krueger didn't have to answer. They were instead free to talk about other things.

Currently they were talking about Liberio in general, as well as Falco's struggles in the warrior program.

"So Falco, how are things going for you?" Krueger asked, interested to hear how the boy was doing. Falco being the kind of person he was tried to wave it off, but eventually found himself telling Mr Krueger about his struggle to beat Gabi once and for all. To gain the Armored Titan power, like he wanted to, and Reiner as well. Though the blonde warrior seemed to be just as cryptic as ever regarding who he wanted to gain the power from him, his top two picks as Falo could see were himself and Gabi. "They're...alright I guess. But the girl I'm trying to beat.."

"Gabi, right?" Krueger asked and Falco nodded. The man had once asked about her, seeming interested in the fact that the man who held the Armored Titan pushed _two_ people to gain it above the rest. It lead to such questions that Krueger would ask about Reiner's personality. Falco had been truthful about how he viewed Mr. Braun, but when Krueger saw the moment of hesitation in Falco's description his emerald eye seemed to come alive like it did with the letters. But that wasn't for now, not just yet.

"She's still achieving more than I am, I mean I beat her in the race but that's really it. She's too stubborn, she doesn't want anyone to beat her because she wants to be a hero." Falco glumly told Mr Krueger, and Falco noticed for some reason that his eye was once again full of that life. Was it something he'd said? All he was talking about was Gabi being better than he is. Why did he seem interested in what he just said?

Falco didn't receive an answer as the man then spoke up. "Don't be so hard on yourself kid. If she's as tough as you say, then your certainly going to have to fight for the right, although you know I'll still root for ya even if she does get it. I've seen you push yourself hard enough, there's no doubt about that." Falco was grateful to hear the small praise he just got from the crippled and mysterious man. But his support suddenly asked an unexpected question to him.

"But something you said caught my ear, something I want to talk about. What did you mean by her... _wanting to be a hero?"_ Falco sat there staring at the ground, not sure what to say exactly. But Mr Krueger had been very truthful with him in their time together, so it would be rude to lie or not say anything. "Well I guess, it's like she's very dedicated to succeeding. She wants to gain the Armored Titan and use it to fight back against the island people."

"Interesting...very interesting." Krueger mumbles and Falco asks for him to repeat it. The man is looking at him the same way he did when they first met, with Falco fixing the man's armband. "You said _people_. Island people, not devils. Your the first in the place that's said that without a second thought." He states, and Falco felt a tingle of unease go up his spine. He'd made a mistake, those Paradiseans were supposed to be referred to as demons or devils, that's he should've said! "I-i I'm sorry! I meant t-to s-say-" He starts to stutter frantically to make up for his mistake but something happened. Astonishingly, he's stopped when a hand is placed on his shoulder, _Krueger's hand._

"Kid, _don't worry about it._ You didn't say anything wrong, your right in a way. Those on that island _are_ people, people you and I and everyone in this prison shares blood with. Don't forget that. And _relax,_ otherwise you'll have a heart attack kid. Your too good to die young like that, without achieving what you want. Trust me, I've seen those who've had their lives taken before their rightful time. Hell I've been there myself enough times to know the feeling."

Falco eases at the man's words, his tolerance of his mistake, and finds himself growing curious at what the man had said. He almost sounded like he was reminiscing, and Falco couldn't help but ask "You have?" Krueger nodded grimly, and took his hand from the boys shoulder, returning it to his crutch. "Are you sure that you want to hear about that? I might have to kill ya to keep it a secret." The man joked at that last part, but creepily enough it sounded like there was a bit of truth in that. Falco merely shook his head and the man chuckled lightly. Despite his quirky or odd moments, he still found the older man enjoyable to be around. He was funny sometimes, but he did give off a sense of wisdom he held about him like a very tired veteran. He decided to change the topic and lead it somewhere lighter.

"So what do you think about the festival? I heard it's being held right here, and all the world leaders will be attending, so it's gonna be a big deal. Do you think the hospital will let you attend since they still think your sick? I think it could do you some good to be out of here." Falco asked and Krueger had a thoughtful expression as he pondered what to say. He tilted his head and replied to the boy with a question at the end. "Hmm you got a point there kid. But I'm not so sure if I'll try to sneak in, after all security would probably be a bitch to get through if what your saying is true. I'd like to come, but if not would you be willing to do me a favor before then?" Falco nodded tentively as Krueger then looked him straight in the face, his emerald eye fill of life again.

"You know Mr Braun quite well don't you? Since he's helping mentor Gabi being family and all, you must have some talks with him about beating her or trying to take her down." Falco nodded, not seeing where this was going, and voiced his confusion. "I've known him for a few years, since he came back to Marley. And while I wouldn't go that far to beat her, I do talk with him from time to time. He's been acting a little different though, so I haven't talked with him for about a week now. Why?" Mr Krueger gave a small smile but his eye was serious, his tone was _different_ though. _Remeniscant._

"I'd like to see him again if you wouldn't mind showing me his home, or a little get together somewhere. See he doesn't know I'm here, with him being so busy and me locked up in this hospital till they discharged me. I haven't seen him in years but we were very good friends back then, like brothers. But I want to _surprise_ _him_ , he can't know until he's already there. I think he'd appreciate it more, from what you say he's been glum this past month. I wanna cheer him up, show him a familiar face or two. So would you be willing to help?"

Falco looked to the ground for a moment thinking, Braun-san had been down the last time he'd seen him, and even more so he seemed like he was under a lot of stress on their way back to Liberio. Perhaps he did need something as simple as seeing an old friend to cheer him up. Falco lifted his head to Krueger's waiting face and gave a small kiddish smile. "Yeah, I'll help you guys see each other again, but did you say there's more than just you seeing him again? he asked and Krueger nodded slowly.

"Mhm that I did. Me and him used to be part of a team with a few others, we became a family, but there's only so many of us left. We lost a lot of friends through the years we spent fighting together, and since then Reiner kind of fell out of touch with the rest of us. But the letters you been running for me have been helpful, my family us gonna be coming for me soon so I can go home. But before I do I said we should all see Reiner before we left, and they agreed with me. Their actually happy to see him alive, doing well. So think of it like a big reunion, would ya?" Falco nodded and went to leave to get back home as night was approaching when Krueger told him one last thing.

"Oh, make sure you bring Gabi along, but keep it a secret. I'm sure she'd want to see him getting cheered up too." Falco felt that part was a but odd but he didn't say anything, merely nodding. He waved goodbye to his friend. "Goodbye Mr Krueger! See you soon!" Krueger no, _Eren_ waved back to the kid. _'Good kid. There might be hope for him yet.'_


	24. Soldier meets Soldier

**Things are back on track, chapter 99 while nail biting was shorter than I expected. I so wanted to see Eren and Reiner really talking about how things are and how they will be, but I digress till chapter 100 and 101 in December. Sorry for the really long delay, but the chapter is longer than usual so that'll be the trade off from now on. Full Au style chapter with light manga inspiration cosnidering how it went in the last 2 chapters of the Marley Arc. Well you know the drill, drop a review. let us begin.**

 _Soldier_ _meets Soldier_.

Falco hummed happily as he walked with Mr Krueger towards Mr Braun's house, slowing his usual pace to give the crippled man some leisure in his step. After all he'd only been discharged from the Hospital upon the arrival of his family.

His "family" as he called them while only 1 was actually related to him in a way, were an odd bunch to say the least. They too all had the tired eyes Mr Krueger had, although the one dark haired girl seemed alive being near him once more. Krueger had explained that the woman was his stepsister, and he'd saved her when he was younger from kidnappers. After that she came to live with him, and Falco felt sympathy for the woman, although she did come off as intimidating to him at first.

There was the odd blonde man who had the coconut hair, although it had length to it which showed Falco was grown with care. The boys blue eyes seemed very vibrant like Krueger's were, although they seemed to be very calculating, despite how polite the man was to Falco. Falco was surprised to see one of the men, a taller one with light brown hair greeted Mr Krueger with a nickname that was clearly an inside joke between the two as they exchanged pleasantries and have a good hug to each other. The names "horse face" and "suicidal bastard" while sounding like insults were expressed like teasing between brothers who hadn't seen each other in a long time. Krueger had seemed happy to see the men he most likely considered his brothers.

When they had initially left the hospital the two men left Krueger with his stepsister, saying they would have to get the others before they all met up at Mr Braun's place. Falco had been fast enough to give them the address and instructions on where to go in case they got lost, but they seemed to be a smart pair, the blonde man Armin,especially. As he pondered his day so far he saw the home of the Braun Family up ahead, and told the pair they'd arrived. "Hey we're here! Give me a moment..." Falco said as he knocked on the door and an older woman came to it, opening it enough to see her weary face. This must've been Reiner's mother or someone he knew.

"Yes?" The woman asked as she looked over the boy and then the two people behind him, a man and woman. The boy spoke to her then to explain himself "I'm in the warrior program along with Gabi, she told me this is Mr Braun's home. Is that correct?" The woman nodded and responded with a question of her own "Yes that's right. I take it your the boy she talks about giving her such trouble, Falco Glaus is it? Gabi's told me about you, but I'm not familiar with your friends?" Falco was about to speak when Mr Krueger shuffled closer with a slightly more formal tone than the boy was used to.

"Hello Ma'am, I'm Mr Krueger. We're sorry to show up unexpectedly but we're here to see your son. He's an old friend of me and my sisters, we served in the military together but we lost touch with each other over the years. Young Falco here helped me recoop when we all returned form the latest mission which unfortunately cost me my leg and eye." Krueger gestured to he stump of his left leg and tilted his head and Karina Braun felt sympathy for the soldier. She spoke to the man "I'm so sorry to hear about that, but I'm still confused on why your here?"

Krueger offered her a nod and replied "I understand ma'am, but I've heard from young Glaus here that your son's been a little off, stressed maybe. I know he had a hard time with being a warrior after the Paradise operation but I helped him get through it in his hard times. My family including my sister here has come to take me back home, but before I was discharged I wanted to meet Braun san one last time. I was hoping that maybe I could cheer him up, that seeing an old friend might do him some good."

Karina looked at the man and bowed her head "Yes my boy hasn't been the same from all those years on that island of devils. I...fear for him, he seemed...distant the other week when we all had dinner together. Maybe he does need someone like you to help him, a familiar face if you say you two served together?"

Krueger gave her a curt nod and responded "For a few years now, but over time we saw less of each other. I know he was the only one to return from Paradise, it must've been a hard time when I first met him, despite how he tried to keep focus." Karina offered a weary smile at that and looked down, speaking more to herself with a touch of pride in her voice before she looked back up to Krueger.

" _That's my boy_ , always pushing himself to be better for the sake of others. I've always been proud of him for his endurance to see his goals through. I think what your suggesting might be very helpful Mr Krueger was it?" Karina asked Krueger to confirm his name for later, and he nodded and asked of her "I hope so, your son has helped me in the past alot. He's a big part of the reason I'm here now, so I couldn't just leave him to his own means if he is depressed or such. So if you would allow it, may my family and I see your son, in private perhaps? There may be some issues I know he would rather not trouble your ears with, along with a few classified things regarding a few of our military operations?"

Karina thought about it for a noment and told the disabled veteran "I'm very willing, however my son isn't home right now. He's out with my niece who's been training to become a warrior, for most of the day now. However I do think he will be home soon enough, so you and your family won't have to wait long. As for privacy, I think I might make a trip to the market myself while running some errands, it'll give you three some time to catch up on things. I do wish to thank you for this Mr Krueger, you seem like a good man for wanting to help my son once more."

Krueger gave the woman a polite bow of the head and a smile. "Thank you Ms Braun, I'm happy to hear that. And I'm sure your son will be as well. If it's not too much to ask, how long do you think you will be gone? I don't want it to seem like I'm intruding on your home-" but the woman cut him off with a light wave fo the hand. "Nonsense sir, your here to help my son, what kind of a mother would I be if I didn't allow that? I'll most likely be gone for a few hours, I may also make a stop at the Leonhardt's home. Poor man lost his daughter to those island devils years ago, same with the Hoover's with their son. I'm glad my son made it back, but I pity their families. Poor dears."

Krueger gave a slight twitch at the mention of the other two warrior families, one of which he's apart of now regarding his special blonde. In all honesty he felt like laughing at the older woman's words. _'Lost his daughter to the island devils? More like joined them before she even went there. She was the smart one.'_ Outwardly he kept that impulse to himself, butHe did give a false smile to the woman that may have been comforting and reassuring to her, but to Falco it seemed to be an odd sight to see. It must've been a smile akin to the jaws of his Titan, the same one that would be held when their plan finally unveiled. But the boy wouldn't know about that just yet, but soon.

Krueger has hopes for him to do the right thing.

"My thanks to you Ma'am once more. I promise your son will be...pleasantly surprised to see us. And your niece might enjoy him being around _old friends_ once more, she can be allowed to stay. After all the girl is trying to gain the warrior status correct?" Krueger asked Karina nd she replied with a small swell of pride in his voice that disgusted Krueger although he did not show it.

"Yes, little Gabi is aiming for my son's power once his tenure comes, although I do wish it wouldn't come I know it's inevitable. He also claimed that he would be teaching Gabi everything she needs to know about the island people, what she will face there." At this Krueger and his sister's eyes narrowed slightly, but Falco was the only one to percieve such change since he'd been with the pair much longer than Mr Brauns mother has.

"Is that so? Well I'm curious to know just what he's told her, I don't want to seem useless here. After all dear Falco here tells me she has quite the spirit Figured I could give some tips, help her as well." Krueger said and ruffled the boys hair a bit, although Falco could tell something was different. He's been reassured, praised and thanked by the veteran, but he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease coming from Krueger's demeanor. He cleared his head, his was probably just over imagining things. After all these two were friends of Mr Brauns, so things must be fine.

"Ah your a good man, helping the next generation out, though I do think you would be more on young Glaus's side no?" Karina asked and Krueger gave a chuckle at that. "It's true I do favor the boy a little more, but everyone should have a fair chance to achieve their goals. And even if he doesn't get chosen, I'm telling you what I told him. I'll still root for the guy, he's earned it, and I'm sure your niece has too. I look forward to meeting her when I see Reiner once more." Falco visibly swelled at the praise and felt the tingle of unease before leave him, he had been over thinking things. Krueger was a good am, and so far his sister and family had shown that from the short time he saw then today.

"Well let me just shut off the tea and I'll leave you three to wait for my son in the living room or the kitchen. Once again thank you." Karina told the trio and went into her kitchen while inviting the two adults and the young warrior trainee inside. "Please make yourselves at home, it shouldn't be too long now. There's tea on the stove if you wish to have a drink, I'm leaving one for Reiner now. My poor son is under such stress." Krueger walked after Falco took the lead, making sure to give the veteran space for his crutch to be used effectively.

His sister quiet as he had seen at the hospital shut the door behind them all but left it unlocked as she saw Ms Braun gathering up a purse and a head scarf. Krueger looked in an amused way towards his sister and Falco noticed she too had a scarf, faded with age but still a vibrant red, almost like blood. Falco wasn't sure what the significance of it was, it must've been an inside joke or secret to the pair. But he did see the woman clutch it closer to her with one hand before dropping it and rolling her eyes at me Krueger.

"I'll be leaving now, if anyone asks just tell them I'm shopping at the market place, and have young Falco there answer the door. I'm sure they wouldn't be as...Catious as they would you Mr Krueger, after all you wish to surprise to my son. I'd hate to see you being taken home over a trivial misunderstanding." Karina offered as she neared the door and Krueger nodded once more at her politeness. "I think that would be best, thank you once more Ms Braun." The woman bowed and closed the door behind her, leaving the three people alone in Reiner's home. Krueger pulled a chair over into the living area and sat down on it, his crutch held once more in for the of him. His sister sat near the kitchen though to anyone walking in she wouldnt have been seen unless she announced herself. Falco thought that was an odd place to sit consider he and Mr Krueger were in plain view, but the man gestured for the boy to come closer.

"You remember how we said this would go? You have to answer the door so we can surprise Reiner, otherwise it'll loosen the effect. And we don't want that happening right?" Falco nodded at his inquiring, and Krueger gave the boy a smile. "Good job kid, your really helping us out, and I know Reiner will let you know that too. Again good job Falco. Let's take a rest for now, Jean and Armin should be back soon with the others." Falco caught those two names and asked "Are those the men who I met earlier? The ones you said are like your brothers?" Kruger nodded and explained.

"Jean is the fellow I called horse face me and him used to get into a lot of fights back in our training days, Reiner helped break that up from time to time. I also used to fight with him cause he was real fond of my sister" he said looking over at said girl and Falco saw the girl's face redden slightly before she scowled at her brother. "Er- that's enough. You know things aren't that way anymore. We all got past that remember?" Krueger held his hands up in a deafeated sort of acceptance, chuckling lightly at her before facing Falco once more.

"Armin was the blonde one, he's always been the smartest of us. He wasn't always the strongest, but he pulled through for his comrades. He's been with me since I was a kid, even younger than you. Always had dreams of seeing the world, and after enough pain and suffering, he finally did. Truth be told he had us eliminate a group of enemies with only one round each in our rifles, right Mikasa?" The girls eyes widened by the bold approach but she smoothly hid it beneath her scarf and jacket. "That's right, if Armin hadn't come up with the plans back then we all would've died that day."

"Where did you guys fight? How bad was it?" Both the older people eyes widened a bit, not expecting to have been questioned by the boys curiosity. Krueger deliberated for a moment, before allowing him a cryptic answer. "Let's just at that day and the place was complete hell, we sure weren't expecting it to be that bad, nor to happen at all really. But that's all I can say, classified" Krueger finished as he tapped the side of his head with his finger and Falco understood, he knew that punishment for giving classified information was very brutal, the worst being bombardment or sentenced to Paradise island. Though given the current state of things, he's only seen those accused of treasonous thoughts be used for bombardment. Apparently the situation on the devil island was bad, no ships have returned for quite a while. It was a part of the reason he and the other warriors were being chosen for the retake operation, besides the older warriors tenure finally coming.

"I understand Mr Krueger, I won't ask about it. I know Gabi said something similar with Braun san, he has a hard time talking about it all. Remembering it." Falco sighed but was caught off guard when both adults gazed at him intently. Krueger asked him "Is that so?" The boy nodded nervously and Krueger sat back in his chair and merely cocked his head in thought. "Well I'll guess we'll just have to wait and see when he arrives. Because we will have a good chat about the past up to now. After all it's been a few years." Falco swallowed at the man's change in demeanor from pressing for answers to having the air of a person bidding their time. He didn't speak much for the remainder of the time, and neither did his sister.

About a half hour later the door received a knock, and Krueger nodded to Falco to answer it. Falco looked and saw the man of the hour along with Gabi, carrying a small bag, probably a gift of some sort fro the happy look on her face. He turned and gave a thumbs up to the pair and Krueger nodded to open the door.

Reiner was finally home after a long day of spending town with Gabi, and he was glad to know she was happy with that shit eating grin on her face as she clutched her gift bag tight to he body. He chuckled ' _Ah good girl. Maybe it'll help her accept everything I'll tell her tonight, it's finally time.'_ For the past week he's been trying to decide what time was the best to confess the truth to Gabi, although he had been somewhat hinting at the true nature of Paradise Island, but never backing those claims. Not just yet, he would always tell himself as he subtly held back from telling Gabi the that there were no devils in the world except for people who terrorize others, like how Marley does to her and his people. He was waiting to hear his mother call out to him, but he wasn't expecting to see Falco open the door with a smile on his face. Reiner brow furrowed in confusion and Gabi's did as well. "Falco, why are you doing here?" Reiner asked and Gabi wondered "Where's Aunt Karina? Is she asleep or inside?"

The boy shook his head and told them both "She's not home right now but we met her earlier. She's going shopping and then to visit the Hoover's and Leonardts, she said shell return in a few hours." Reiner was the first to catch what Falco said, "we met her", and he voices it to the boy. "You said _We,_ who else is here?" Falco looked cited a she began to lead the pair inside "It's your friends!" Reiner frowned, friends? Did he perhaps mean Porco or Pieck, or even Zeke? Out of those three only Pieck would be considered his friend because of how she was, how she treated him. Who was Falco referring to-

Reiner stopped mid-thought as he heard the door close behind him as he entered the living area and saw a man with a crutch and missing a leg and eye sitting in a chair. Behind him he saw a woman with dark hair in a jacket, hiding her face with wait...A _red scarf?_ Reiner's eyes widened as he looked further and saw a pair of cold grey eyes looking at him with a threat behind them, but the person they belonged to seemed to be watching him, waiting for a reaction. Reiner turned to face the man in the chair who saw up, and under the long hair Reiner could see an eye, a familiar _emerald green eye._ His mouth dropped as he heard the door lock and Gabi looked up to him in confusion. "What's wrong Reiner? Falco said their your friends, aren't they?" Reiner didn't say anything as the man began to speak, and he heard that familiar voice, one he's heard angrily shout for freedom, for the eradication of the Titans, a voice that called for his death so many time since his nightmares, a voice that he once associated with Brother.

"Hello Reiner, it's been 4 years...I'm glad you could make it back to your hometown."

Reiner could only say one word, he name of the man before him, who will either be friend or for, although he hopes for the former once he confesses everything _now._

 _"Eren."_


	25. Enlightenment

**Aannnnd I'm FINALLY back, chapter 100 was amazing, and so was 101! Vshark yeah I know I left it on a cliffhanger but this is a whole chapter of them talking to each other without having to listen to Willy. As for addressing Eren and the rest being in Marley I will do that but not this chapter. Next one will show the events that were mentioned in chapter 93 between the Marley officials. Nothing really to say, here we go. Sorry for the really long delay but had to work on my other stories as well as the holidays making writing harder. But here it is! Never gonna let a story die! And since we have to wait till February for the next chapter that'll give me plenty of room to work with for this story especially. Other stories will also get updates soon if your following those as well. Well drop a review, let us begin!**

 _Enlightenment Of A Warriors Eyes through a Soldiers body._

"Eren..."

' _There was no way...That he's really here. No way...'_ Reiner's mind thought in denial to the sight before him in his mother's home, his home. That two people who had tried to I'll him, who he'd betrayed after growing quite close with, who should've been on the other side of the ocean were here staring at him, waiting for some reaction. But he didn't know what else to say, what to do.

Reiner still stood in place out of complete shock. _Never_ had he thought that _Eren_ of all people would come here in such a way, he's been _infiltrating_ Marley. For how long Reiner doesn't know, but if Mikasa is also here then he can count on more of Paradise's soldiers being in the country and possibly Liberio as well. Maybe even his former friends will be here, although that thought which made his hope jump up died as he begins to head back to reality. Reiner _knows_ Eren isn't here for mere pleasantries, he's here to take _action_ and as exciting as that idea is he's very afraid of both Eren and Mikasa right now.

He sees the dark haired Asian is still watching him intently, as if daring him to make a move. Falco and Gabi are still looking at him in confusion, though the former hadn't realized anything was wrong yet. Gabi was smarter in some ways but she too hasn't figured out anything was wrong, and Reiner was going to have to use that. He has to play his cards _very_ carefully, both to Eren and to the two warriors in his home. He doesn't want them to be harmed, least of all without understanding what's going on.

He also doesn't want to create chaos in Liberio, at least not this kind. Rebellion and destroying the gates to this place to free his people? Sure, but an all out brawl between the Armored and Attack/Founding Titans? Certainly not, and that's _if_ Eren allows it to go that far. Eren nearly killed him the first time because of the grappling move, and he sure as hell kicked his ass the second time around without trying. Reiner's seen him command Titans, and worries Eren might control _him_ if he's mastered it during these past 4 years.

" _Sit_ Reiner, we're going to have a talk after all these years." Eren calmly tells Reiner, though the blonde can detect the threat behind the simple words. His wide eyes followed Eren's hand as he gestures to pull a chair in front of him, and Reiner's blood freezes over when he sees Eren has a slash mark across his left palm.

A simple cut was all that was needed for Bertoldt to become the god of destruction, a slash of a blade for him to be a walking, _once_ _unstoppable_ tank.

It only took deep scratch for Annie to become a 14 meter merciless angel of death, and it only took a bite of the palm for Eren to become one of the very beasts he hated for so long. Now it too was a slash, because he wanted to chose when to shift instead of just doing it. He was different, no longer was he just frothing rage. Now he was a truly formidable killing machine of near unstoppable power because of what resided in him.

One that could destroy everyone in this prison or convert them into mindless Titans to destroy this cursed land, if he chose to.

Reiner can see what Eren is threatening if he doesn't comply, and isn't sure if he could shift before Mikasa cuts him down or if he could shield Gabi and Falco from the imminent blas. But even if he did the explosions from the sudden dual transformation would create a panic and chaos like the one he witnessed in Shinganshina years ago because of his insistence to carry out the mission that was truly doomed from the start. Reiner can see that the cut is a bit deep, with blood flowing freely, which Falco noticed as well and asks out of concern and ignorance.

"Mr Krueger, did you hurt your hand?"

The man glances for a brief second to the boy and turns back to face the man of the hour. Reiner isn't sure what Eren's told the boy, but he sure as hell knows Falco has _no clue_ who "Mr Krueger" **_really_** is. Reiner swallows and makes the wise decision to sit in a chair just in front of Eren, and he notices Mikasa edging backwards towards the wall ever so slightly. She must be feeling more in control of the situation if she's backing off now, but that just puts more fear into his head. He doesn't see her holding a weapon of any sort, unlike the last time when she carried those odd Spears which blew his head almost completely clear from his body. Luckily at the time he'd had the speed to send his mind into the central nervous system of his Titan form, saving him from certain death.

It didn't matter that Reiner didn't see a sword or explosive spear on her now, he knows just how formidable the Asian girl was in hand to hand. After all she once tossed his ass like a sack of potatoes over at Eren and Annie sparing one day, and she wouldn't be holding back an ounce of her strength with him at this point in time.

If she wanted to kill him whatever wat she wanted, Reiner knows she's do her best to succeed by any means short of harming Eren.

Eren looks to Falco and to his hand before saying in a casual voice. "Yes...I did. But it's fine Falco, why don't you have a seat and sit next to Reiner? Could you grab one for Gabi as well?" The boy hesitated and frowned for a moment, and asked "Oh...I thought you would've wanted to talk to them alone." Eren looked at the boy and Falco could see that burning energy in the emerald eye, and he realized Mr Krueger wasn't asking. _He was telling him what to do_. But before Falco could feel any sort of fear from that realization, Mr Krueger spoke once more to him.

"Actually this talk was also meant to include _you_ , even though it's mainly between Reiner and Me. Gabi was an afterthought for this since you told me about her, but she's very much welcome to listen as well since she's here."

The dark haired girl in question nervously looked between her cousin and this strange man, and nervously asked him "Reiner should I..." But Reiner is looking down to the ground hard, and puts a hand up before he speaks in a controlled voice. "Gabi, Falco, both of you should listen. Sit down, now. We... _I have some things to tell you._ " The young warriors looked to each other and knew they'd better listen if Reiner was as serious and steady as he was now. Gabi pulled up a chair and looked at the dark haired woman behind Mr Krueger as Falco called him, and found herself intimidated by the woman's eyes.

They were cold and hard as stone during the winter time, greyish pupils that held no mercy in them if someone were to cross her. Gabi found herself almost admiring the girl in a way, even if they just met but still haven't been introduced. That she could radiate power like that which seemed to affect her big cousin into keeping a nervous set of eyes on her, before returning them to the crippled man who was "an old friend" with him. She didn't know just what the heck was going on, but she wasn't going to provoke the situation. Reiner asked her to sit down, that he had some things to tell her. And she would listen, because Gabi found herself with a bit of fear.

Fear she didn't have when walking across no man's land with that bomb she made, nor when she thought she and Falco were done for before Galliard saved her with his Jaw Titan. This one strange woman did this to her, and Gabi knew that she wouldn't test her.

Said woman slowly walked around the three warriors and casually looked out the window, and closing the curtains on them. She returned to lean backwards against the wall nearest Krueger, and the man began to speak. "Well, now that we're all nice and settled, where should we start? You said you had some things to say Reiner, would you like to get them out of the way? It'll make yours and my talk a bit easier to understand."

The words were so simple and yet so cryptic to two younger warriors that they looked to Reiner, who had a hard downcrest look to his face. To Gabi it was just like the night they came back to Liberio and had dinner, after he recollected his time on the devil's island. She waited to see what Krueger was referring to when Reiner asked a question of his own.

"Eren... _why are you here? I promise,_ I will tell them _everything_ I know, but please tell me. I need to know, w-why... _how_ , how did you get here?" The man, _Eren_ now to both Gabi and Falco as they know heard his first name tilted his head and gave an odd look to Reiner. It wasn't threatening nor friendly, more so the look when asked about why a person chooses to take a certain job over another.

With quite a casual tone, Krueger leans forward to rest his hands on his knees, putting his crutch to the wall near him. "Really Reiner? Four years and _that's_ what you want to know first? Well can't say I'm surprised, after all we haven't seen each other since that day. No communication, but still the thought is what counts, _right?_ " Reiner says nothing but looks to Eren with a pleading and... _scared_ look?

Krueger sighed and continued "Well I take it being Marley's _most loyal_ means you've obviously been keeping tabs about the situation on Paradise, right? How all the investigation ships have gone missing? Well I believe _that_ should give you your answer." Kruger finished and Reiner looked down, a little pale. ' _So Zeke was right then, the ships never returned because they were sunk, or seeing Eren here, captured. That's how he got here, how she- '_ Reiner thinks when a new thought pops into mind.

"Are any of my...our _old friends_ here as well? Or is it just you and _Mikasa_?" Reiner voice trembles at the second one's name, and Gabi puts it together that he must be referring to the scary woman with the red scarf. Even he was scared of her, and he's the _Armored Titan._ Just who the hell was she? Who was the man Reiner was talking to?

Krueger nodded and the older warrior nod back in acknowledgement, taking a small gulp and swallowing before looking to the ground with something like it was torn between reminiscing and regret. The younger ones don't understand anything yet, but once Reiner begins to talk directly to them they would...Right? ' _What is this all about? And why did Krueger mention that? If he and Reiner we're friends then they must know each other from somewhere in Liberio right?'_ Gabi thinks as she tries to put smaller pieces of the puzzle together.

Falco is undergoing a similar thought process, and also tries to piece things together with what Reiner and Krueger are talking about. _'The investigation ships to Paradise? I didn't even know they were still sending any since Reiner came back...wait. Krueger said he knew Reiner for a long time, and hasn't seen him for 4 years. That means he would be referring to the time of the Paradise operations...And that would mean...NO!'_ Falco's eyes widened but he's speechless as he hears Mr Krueger's, _Eren's_ next words. "As for _why_ , it's the same as _you_."

At these words Falco and Gabi can see Reiner's skin paling quite considerably, the strong and hard driven warrior they know looks like he's crumbling little by little from this conversation the longer it goes on. Falco begins stuttering as he goes to stand up as he begins to see just what Reiner is afraid of, no matter how impossible it seems. "Y-your, _y-your..._ "

Gabi can see something is scaring the boy _bad, the_ same kind of fear a person feels rush through them when their names are mentioned with the word _Bombardment._ But his words come out just as cryptic as the ones Mr Krueger and Reiner were saying to each other from the start. Almost as if it were some inside secret that the two weren't apart of, but soon would be from Reiner promise to the crippled man earlier. "Y-you...you lied to me... I trusted you, I looked up to you. And you... you encouraged me to do better, I delivered your-" at whatever Gabi heard Falco fearfully stuttering and saying, she noticed that Reiner's face was now one of _pitying._

' _But for who? Falco? Or does it remind him of someone else who isn't in this room? And why?'_ Gabi thought as the cripple speaks up again, once more with his eye fixed on Reiner's face while gesturing his head towards Falco without breaking his gaze from her cousins face.

"Seem _familiar_ Reiner?" Krueger, this _Eren_ asks her cousin and he looks at the ground with misery, seeming to understand the hidden meaning to the cryptic words. But she didn't have any real clue as to what the man meant by them. Reiner seemed to know what the words meant, did that happen between him and someone else?

The injured man _nods_ in acknowledgement and turned to face the wide eyed boy with some pity in his own lone emerald. He starts to speak with a more sympathetic tone than the one he used with Reiner which made Gabi think about how the two knew each other, how they met or even why did they come here. Why did Falco bring him to her aunt's house? Gabi hears the odd but interesting man start to tell the boy "Sorry kid, I am. But I think you should calm-" but he stopped when the young warrior spoke louder, with desperation rising in his throat.

"The letters! The ones you sent me to deliver, where did they go?!" Falco cut across the older man with his eyes wide, his skin sweating and body shaking as he began to think of what he might have possibly been doing these past few months. Gabi sees Reiner eyes look at the boy with confusion, much like her own did. But his changed once more as he looks between Krueger and the young boy, seeming to understand or have an idea about what Falco had asked.

"I wasn't lying to you Falco, they did go to my family. After all I've fought, trained and bled with them for 7 years. I wouldn't know what else to call them really, except my friends. And I'm sure Reiner can say the same, can't you?" Krueger asked as Falco fell to the ground and backed up in fear, realizing the enormity of what he's been doing these past few months with this man. _He's been sending information, letters to the enemy. To the devils of Paradise..._

 _'But wait...What did he say about Reiner...? About "Calling them family"?'_ Falco thinks to himself with dawning realization that Reiner was _nodding_ to him. But Gabi was quicker in voicing her shock to her cousin as she too started to understand what was going on here, who Mr Krueger and his sister really were. "Reiner...What are you doing?" She asked as the older blonde began speaking to address Krueger, his voice sounding very emotional to the younger warriors surprise.

"Yeah...Your right Eren. You guys were my family there...And I hurt you guys. All of you...Marco, Connie, Sasha, Jean..And especially you Eren.. I'm the reason...Your mother died Eren. It's my fault..." And the younger warriors stare in uncomprehension as Krueger then sat up straight and asked a question they were struck dumb by, especially that it would be asked here.

"What was your mission Reiner? The reason you were on Paradise Island for 5 long years, and why your the only one to return to Marley. Gabi and Falco should know this, after all you did say you would tell them everything. Let's start."

Reiner began to wring his hands up and down as he stared at the floor then, growing more nervous at revealing the true nature of his sins to the two kids in the room. Then again those kids were already exposed to the cruel and horrible nature of the world around them, it didn't matter what or what he didn't say. They would still experience and learn of it soon enough by others. He swallowed and began to speak, it wasn't the way he wanted to confess, but at least he was telling the truth.

"My mission along with the other Warriors was to retrieve the Founding Titan and destroy the people of Paradise. I was selected along with Annie, Bertoldt and Marcel because of how we performed in the Marley Warrior program. Annie would call mindless Titans with her Titans ability and Marcel would help carry us to safety afterwards. Bertoldt and I would break the outer and inner gates and allow Titans to stream into the walls. We then mixed and mingled with the refugees before choosing to join the military of the island in an attempt to get closer to the royal family by means of military police."

Gabi and Falco were in a bit of shock that they would send such young children to do that, no older than they were now really, but they still had the war with the mud eastern union only a few months before to deal with. So the plans of attacking Paradise were put on hold until the war was won,but since it was over they were both competing for the Armored Titan slot.

But Krueger seemed to know the story well from the casual tone of his voice, and yet he asked the question he knows the answer to anyways. "And were you and the others successful?" Reiner shook his head miserably and kept looking at the ground. "No, we weren't. The mission began on a bad start because the day after we arrived, a mindless Titan appeared from the ground and consumed Marcel. I ran out of fear, and so did Annie and Bertoldt. I knew I had messed up, I was the one meant to die by Marcel pushed me out of the way. I knew if we just went back right then and there that I'd be branded a failure, and then eaten by the next Warrior candidate without achieving nothing. I decided to continue the plan without Marcel." Krueger said nothing as Reiner paused to take a breath before continuing.

"But the others, Annie and Bertoldt, even Marcel didn't...They didn't want to go through with it. And after Ymir ate him, it was just me who kept pushing to do it. It's my fault! I'm sorry Eren, I'm the reason why it happened! All of it! They wouldn't have done it unless I pushed and threatened that they would be punished by Marley too! I'm the reason Marco died getting eaten! All because I couldn't just keep my GODDAMN MOUTH SHUT! _I'M SO SORRY_!" The blonde cried out and threw himself to the floor before slamming his fist down in guilt and mental anguish. The two pairs of foreign eyes didn't widen or close with any change, though Mikasa instinctively moved forward a bit with Reiner being closer to where Eren sat than before. But internally their minds were reacting to the outburst in different ways.

Mikasa was looking at Reiner and feeling nothing more than distrust, especially since he had admitted to being the sole cause of the walls breach. She didn't want to put anything in him except for a sword or another thunder spear, but she did see the guilt flowing through the warrior of Marley. It seemed that Eren and Armin's words were true then, Reiner really is a broken mess of a person. Armin's recollection of Bertoldt's memories of both his struggles in the warrior program as well as the random shifts on personality and guilt, and Eren fully informing her of Reiner's split right personality break in the forest of giant trees when he and Ymir were kidnapped. What was off to her at the moment was how he didn't seem to switch personality very visibly like Eren had described, but seemed to be in both warrior mode and soldier mode.

Eren's mind was different though, he was analyzing Reiner's behavior just as much as his sister was, but he wasn't as distrustful. Truth be told he was oddly glad to see Reiner, despite the last time they met they were trying to kill each other in _his_ hometown. The mention of his mother's death did bring a small surge of anger, but he didn't allow it to take hold of him like it would've years ago. He knows that there's nothing he can do for her, except to keep living like she yelled him to when Hannes carried Mikasa and himself away from her that day. And even though the curse of Ymir drains and destroys his body little by little, He's going to live it to the fullest. Especially with _Her_.

Eren shakes his head almost unnoticablely, he has to keep focused. He'll see her soon enough. Right now he has priorities to deal with, which already included Reiner but now also Falco and Gabi. Some thing's both Falco and Reiner had mentioned at different times struck a cord in him, about her wanting to be a hero, and Reiner promising to tell the truth before Eren had requested it? It was curious, what has Reiner been doing and thinking these past 4 years? Which side was he talking to? The warrior or the soldier? Eren leaned down to Reiner level and offered his hand, much to the bigger blonde's astonishment. "C'mon, let's get back in your seat Reiner, there's one last thing I want to ask again about the past before we talk about now. Did you succeed in your mission?"

Reiner eyes closed as he shook his head, replying "No. We...I failed. Bertoldt was eaten, Zeke was nearly killed. I nearly died, and Annie's being tortured underground last I heard from Armin's words. Only I came back, and I didn't even return on my own two legs. I had to be carried because my legs and arms were gone, I was blasted away from my Titans nape." Falco and Gabi gasped as they stared at Reiner surprising revelation about him nearly dying, as well as the fate of his comrades. They almost missed the words Reiner's head snapped up to when Krueger spoke again.

"But your mission Reiner...You succeeded." Reiner's brow and forehead creased as he failed to understand the words, but went blank as Eren continued. "You did bring the Founding Titan back to Marley, I mean I am here in front of you. Yes not when or how you or the Marleyean government would've liked, but still I'm here. Congratulations Reiner." Eren spoke with an odd voice, it had a small lace of humor in it which made the young warriors pale as they understood the gravity of what Krueger had just said.

"You...Your the..." Falco stuttered while Gabi remained speechless in place, and their eyes bulged as Krueger began to undo his leg cast, which began steaming the longer they stared at it. For nearly a minute the two kids just watched as they began to put it together, this man, this Eren Krueger was the Founding Titan. From across the sea, from the island of the devils who threaten to destroy the world. Reiner didn't react with any surprise, because he's seen Eren heal before, long ago. Reiner then looked to both of their faces with the same kind of determined if a little tired face he always wore when he wasn't on a mission.

"Yeah he is." Was all he said in a deadish tone with weariness in it as Krueger then stood up, on both his newly healed leg and his other still clothed by his pants. He then began to undo the bandage around his head, revealing his other blazing emerald eye matching the one there seen before He spoke in a voice that surged both fear and awe through their veins, one of sheer willpower and drive to accomplish his goal, no matter the cost.

"My name is Eren Jaeger, and I've come to free my people."


	26. Sorry, No visitors allowed

**Ah, SUPER sorry for the** **delayed update** **! Minor time switch but I did promise a chapter for the events of chapter 93 of the manga through the people of Paradise's views. It'll be a bit shorter than the last two, but this is really just filler here. Next chapter will return to the present, Gabi and Falco learning the truth, and their decisions as well as Reiner's on what to do now. Well I've said enough, don't want to spoil anything else. Drop a review. Let us begin.**

 ** _Also tell me your guys thoughts on chapter 103 and theories for 104!_** **I'm going to be putting mine in the bottom of this chapter, which I _promise_ will be out before the next one of the Manga (104) is _officially released_ although I always read the Raw version as soon as it's out.**

 _Sorry_ _, No Visitors Allowed._

The day was starting to get interesting to say the least for those in the Paradise Island military. Already the Scout Regiment had improved on the Thunder spear concept as well as stockpiling in hardened skin/crystal weaponry near strategic points along the coast of the entire island, not just the section of island directly facing Marley. After all the Islanders have to consider the possibility of attack of invasion from other countries like the Mid-East union who they already dealt with the first time a few months after Annie Leonhardt's awakening. Right now the Female Titan herself was just enjoying some late afternoon lunch with Eren and the rest for the 104th after a good day of progress on the newer style of 3DMG gear.

The newer model was heavily reminiscant of the rigs used by the Military Police First Squad once lead by the infamous Kenny the Ripper. However where his squadrons models were made exclusively for fighting against _human_ foes, the newer versions were equipped to fight against both human _and_ Titan shifters for the incoming war with Marley and their 5 titans. The newer and deadlier versions of the high pressurized hand pistols were also able to be stowed away and the handles repurposed to use the classic Titan slaying blades that were symbolic of the gears design itself. Another feature that was currently being tested out was for the under grips of the pistols to be capable of firing the Odm hooks that were used to manuever around areas of interest and even be used as weapons in their own right.

So far the top best rig users were both of Humanities strongest as well as a surprising third spot reserved by none other than Jean Kirschtein, partially due to the fact that he was one of the original top Odm users of the 104th cadet class only topped by Mikasa Ackerman. While it was actually expected that both of the Ackermans would excel in the gears usage rather well, Jean was able to keep up with them quite easily. He was one of the best sharpshooters with the hand pistols in both ranged and close combat, even though long ago he hadn't been as proficient in hand to hand he certainly wasn't a pushover when it came down to it now. He kept his training in all the new gears in high priority, making sure he knew just how to use every advantage each new wave could give while adding his own personal style to it. His demeanor changed a bit from how he was from when he first joined the scouts, partially due to Annie's confession of being involved in Marco's death years ago, to actually being noticed somewhat by Mikasa much to his surprise and joy. He was more level headed and less prone to emotional or temper related outbursts towards anyone. In truth while the change was welcome, it just went to show that war did indeed change people.

However none of those thoughts were on that as they all enjoyed a good serving of Meat and potatoes, which came with some light teasing towards the well known Potato enthusiast among them all, Sasha. The red headed huntress was currently cleaning up her own plate when Connie, decided to be a good friend even more so than he already was, and slipped the girl half of a plate he saw someone had abandoned for no reason. To both him and her it was fair game, though he wasn't feeling particularly hungry at the moment in light of recent events despite the major leaps and bounds their island was currently making. Connie made less jokes nowadays although he still shot a good one now and then, Sasha seemed less carefree but still held her own way of doing things due to her more finer instincts. Ever since the creation of the newer Thunder Spears and the Odm rigs, the pair had begun to act more serious when the job required. Sasha had begun to excel at marksmanship thanks to Connie's help and tips, Connie began to get his inner Hunter and tracker out thanks to Sasha showing him the ins and outs of the style.

Armin had become even more calculating than he had seemed before, but he also seemed to hold a sort of depressed state at times. While all of his friends had tried talking to him and helping him through it, he still insisted that he was fine, and so they reluctantly gave him his space. But in truth the was he looked whenever he was in those moods was scary and _tragic_ , because he seemed to hold that same glint of having no choice that his predecessor _Bertoldt_ once held. Like he hated what he was, but he was still prepared to do whatever it took to protect the people he cares about. Although Bertoldt had resolved to killing them all out of some strange act of mercy and some anger towards Armin for his failed attempt to use Annie against him once again, he still felt the guilt and fear that everyone of them had seen when Armin's mindless form lifted his limbless body into his waiting maw.

It was that fear that some talks of the original secondary attack option of using mindless Titans was out of the picture, at least for now. Using the collasal ones inside the walls however was still going to be an option, especially if any nation tries to invade them once they attack and depart from Marley with their people in tow. The infiltration option was seeming all the more likely to be used, even if the option itself wasn't very enticing because of the major risks involved. But since their information on the final Titan power and it's capabilities were unknown, Armin had conferred with Hange as well as Historia about trying to scout then out before they were to launch the main assualt at an opportune time. With his compelling argument that they could also use the opportunity to try and take the other shifters dead or alive in secret convinced them to give the plan more thought and consideration.

Right now Armin was currently working with Hange on a type of handheld explosive package that could be easily activated and deployed without many complications, part of the knowledge they had aquirred from the Mid-Eastern Union soldiers they still had prisoner up north in Sina. While most were uncooperative and left alone in their cells, one or two had offered his services in offering modern warfare advances in exchange for his countries safety. A surprising demand but an easily acceptable one since Paradise didn't wish to wage war any more than they needed to. True they wanted revenge against Marley, but they weren't going to flaunt and destroy as Marley had done since King Fritz retreat to the island. Nor would they live up to any name or title the world had declared on their race by outright destroying them all, but they were certainly going to give Marley and the world a grim reminder of just why the Eldian race should not be messed with.

So far the production of the explosive packages were going at a good rate, with the way things were going now they would have enough to have destroyed one of the walls on a whim. After all since the scouts along with Eren and Annie's help eradicated _every_ trapped Eldian within Titans within a year of her awakening, there was no need for people to live in such fear of the outside world any longer. Well to an extent, there was always the fear of invasion from other countries but the Scout Regiment along with the Garrison had fortified strategic positions all throughout the island to provide a quote response effort to any such incursion. Such freedom allowed more farming and such, no longer where the people in the walls starving from lack of land to till and raise animals on. People like Sasha were _thrilled_ to be able to once again reclaim their homes and even expand them further as long as they helped out others by providing some of the crop they harvested. To them it seemed like a fair trade off, and very few problems ever arose because of the deal. And since there was plenty of land to be tended to by choice, more recruits had begun to join the military forces under the eyes of the 104ths own former instructor Keith Shadis, who was also reinstated as a general under commander Hange.

As Hange and Armin continue to tinker with new designs for even smaller versions of the explosives, a frantic sound of footsteps approaching grabbed both of the main strategists attention when the door opened with a slam. There stood a messenger in the form of a newer Garrison patrol member along the seaside teams having been in place for 3 years now. Their intended purpose was to alert the island and as many of their forces possible of any Intruders and enemy forces that may come from Marley, even if since the last scouting expedition had resulted in no activity whatsoever . But for a member to arrive here in such a state now clearly meant that things had once again changed. "Commander! We have incoming enemy ships! Signs and markings from Leonhardt's debriefing confirms they are Marleyean Boats!" He nearly shouted as he gave the classic salute with his right arm over his hear and left behind him. Hange stood up at the same time as Armin did, and asked for elaboration.

"How many soldier? Does this group require the use of the shifters or not?" She asked quickly as Armin began to ready himself mentally for any possible action on his part. "We count at least a dozen mam, all large scale battleships. We will need them, they're not fully docking in the usual spot we've been told, they're holding back a ways. We can't get to them using the odm gear of by boat without being shot down." At these words Hange harshly began to quest him further. "Have you or any of our men made contact of any type? Have any shots been fired? Casualties lethal or not? Speak!" The soldier frantically shook her head while staying in place and responded.

"No man, all we've done is observe from the hidden bunkers, we're sure we haven't been spotted and we haven't seen any ships break off or change course. They're staying in place last we checked."

"How long have they been here? When did they arrive?" Hange presses on as Armin leaves the room to alert the others, Eren and Annie especially for what is to come. As the blonde exits the room he hears one last bit from the messenger.

"Only a few hours now, as soon as we saw the ships approach I was sent to warn you and the rest. I haven't heard anything since nor seen any other Messengers arrive after myself." At this Hange nodded and dismissed him, but gave him a final set of orders before he was to return to his assigned group. "Alright soldier, you've done well. Notify four Messengers and send word to Queen Reiss as well as commanders Dok and Pixis, and be sure to let Zackley know what's going on. We're launching a rapid response group now."

The soldier snapped to another salute before leaving at a brisk pace. "Yes commander!"

Armin hurried into the mess hall of the scouts more recently constructed headquarters, and luckily found Annie and Eren sitting next to each other talking low to themselves while everyone else was eating when they heard him come in. His sudden arrival drew their attention when he announced to the entire group. "We've got enemy ships along the southern shore, we've confirmed their origins. Their Marleyean." At these words everyone's lit up and widened, but two sets of eyes burned a different way. Looks of hatred worn in blazing Emerald green and now merciless Icy blue, alive at the chance to take some small piece of revenge. And their owners were anticipating the thrill to come when their names left Armin's mouth.

"Annie, Eren, were gonna have to lead the main assualt effort. Get your gear together, we're leaving in five minutes." Armin firmly told the anxious pair but they could see that as accepting of the inevitable body count to come as he appears, he still holds a hint of innocence in his blue eyes. Everyone started making ready, food was left on the tables much to Sasha's dismay but she got over it. Eren was the first to say anything when he got to Armin first, and spoke low to him. "Are you going to be able to do it Armin? Annie and I should be enough to-" but surprisingly he was stopped when Armin put a hand on his shoulder.

Eren could see his childhood friend taking a gulp before exhaling, and when Armin looked back at him, he could see his friend having they same glint in his eyes that he had during his near death back in Shinganshina. The same one commander Erwin held when rescuing Eren from Reiner, and the same one he wore when knowingly leading a suicide charge against Eren's half brother Zeke.

The look filled with the determination to win no matter the cost.

"I'll do what I have to Eren. Like you said Eren, the only way to live is to fight. If we can't give up something, then we'll never change anything. I've got you partner." Armin grimly smiled, and found himself seeing and hearing a different voice saying those last few words. From the one person they were truly going to focus some effort into bringing onto their side that might just work, Reiner. The other Warriors were a hit or miss opportunity, if it didn't work initially with reasonable advantages for them to surrender or offer their services, then they would be treated with a kill on sight attitude.

Eren nodded at his friends words and turned to Annie who had finished adjusting her gear and walked over to the pair. Eren could see how alive her eyes were, of course since they confessed to each other years should things have been different for both of them, but he could see the way they were now. He'd once said to himself that she always looked bored, and would only look interested in anything relating to hand to hand combat. And when Annie told him of her hatred for Marley he'd seen the same energy his eyes held when he was younger and less controlled, less _deadly._

 _All Eren could see in her eyes was the need to destroy, for vengeance. And he was joyful for the fact they he could find that feeling in someone else._

"Are you two set? We're going to have to at least get a chance to assess before everyone else gets there, that's where I think you come in Armin. Are you ready for this?" Annie asked and Eren answered for him with some humor in his voice. "He's good, but I'm a bit hurt Annie. Caring for Armin over me?" She faintly smiled as she rolled her eyes, knowing he wasn't serious, despite how much he had changed over the years.

It was ironic for her to be more open with all of them, not being so closed off even if she was still the quietest of their class next to Ackerman. Eren wasn't as loudmouthed, he thought things through just about every time, but when he did decide to focus all his efforts it was scary to see. His hand to hand combat against her in both her Human and Titan forms had gotten closer and closer to him easily overwhelming her not because of just sheer strength, but exceptional strategic thinking on the whim. She was definitely the most impressed out if them all, even though they'd all shown their own ways of telling Eren he's gotten better.

She tapped him on the head with her knuckles and he muttered "Ow" even though he wasn't hurt in the least. Annie was sure to let that be known. "Oh please, I've hit you harder than that and still seen you come right back at me. But are you ready?" She asked and Annie saw Eren's smile, the same one he had long ago before the final battle between them in Stohess. The kind of smile she hasn't really seem since training, the one which could inspire confidence and still seem easygoing.

"Yeah, I am Ann. Now let's go. Hate to leave our guests without any hosts to greet them..."

.

.

.

"Fire the damn cannons! Reload before they can regroup, do not let the devils regenerate!" An authority filled voice barked at his men as they watched from the safety of their ships, nearly 4 miles away.

The situation along the southern shore had escalated dramatically with the appearance of the devils Titan shifters almost a half hour ago. So far the army had been laying down a suppressing fire with timed shots from all of their ships, but the Islanders had also returned fire from rudimentary cannons with effective shells of their own. Aside from the cannon fire two Titan shifters had appeared and begun launching Hardened skin and diamond like crystal spikes towards the ships. Wherever they hit the deadly missiles stayed embedded in the hills of the ships, though only 2 had actually been sunken so far.

The rest while damaged hadn't taken in too much or in some of them any water, and the army had been successful in crippling one of the Giants, a 14 meter without skin which matched the description of the Female Titan which has been MIA since the failed retrieval mission 3 and a half years ago. The one deemed to be the current Attack titan had fought fiercely against the ships when it saw it's fellow shifter take a deadly blow to it's legs from a expertly aimed round. With the current rate of fire victory seemed to be leaning towards the Marleyean Ships, even as another of their boats took a devastating blow from crystalized Spears chucked at them with frightening skill from the Attack Titan. But the commander of the small fleet felt that something was wrong, even as they saw the Female Titan having to take cover from a shell which nearly decapitated her. A question that was bothering the captain since the battle had begun.

Where was the Collasal Titan?

The commander knew that from the debriefing by the Armored Titan's current holder that the shifter power had been lost on the island along with the Female Titan power, but so far the shifter had not made an appearance of any sort. It held a sense of anxiety in him, but his men didn't know of the possibility of attack from such a weapon. He couldn't dwell on it too much however, and so he kept giving orders to focus their ships fire on the two Titan shifters they did see. But then things started to change when the female Titan retreated behind a outcropping of rocks along the coast line while the Attack Titan burst forward to dive into the ocean. The move startled all of the men on the ships as orders were given for the fleet to retreat a ways back to give ample distance for aimed cannon fire to actually be effective.

The Attack Titan dove further under the water, completely out of sight by anyone on the boat decks when things seemed to calm. A horribly silent and tense sense of calm was the more accurate way to explain it as no fire was returned from the island, and none from the ships fired either. The ocean waves were the only movement and sound for all to hear as the seconds seemed to drag on.

 _ **CRACCCCCCKKKK!**_

" _ROOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR!"_

The silence was destroyed when a massive form burst from the waves and body slammed into one of the boats, capsizing it with an extreme amount of force and a bloodthirsty roar as the Attack Titan stood victorious as the ship sunk. It turned it's massive angry emeralds towards the nearest boat and grabbed wreckage from the one it just crushed, and threw the burning metal pieces towards the lower hull of two boats clustered together. The pair of ships took immense damage as two massive holes now allowed thousands of gallons of water to rush into their lower levels and begin to sink, and the Attack Titan turned to slam a hardened fist into a nearby boat trying to back up and hastily defend itself from this new offensive. The comman barked orders for all ships to aim and fire upon the Devil when he saw something moving out of the corner of his eye.

The Female Titan was back on it's feet in full control and form and hefted something in it's right hand, something the officer couldn't really distinguish as her hand wrapped around the object completely. He started to order for half of his boats to send fire upon it and the other half to still fire at the Attack Titan when the later dove beneath the waves once more, the sudden disappearance causing some of the ships to accidentally fire upon each other. While none were overly crippled by the action it didn't catch the attention of the main commander as the Female Titan brought her arm back and threw the object above the group, much to the confusion of them all. He immediatly thought that perhaps it was a bomb of sorts, but to his utter bafflement it appeared to be a normal barrel. Even if it was an explosive the size of it wouldn't hold nearly enough gunpowder to even blow a small hole in any of the ships, but suddenly the world lit up with a blinding amount of light and sound.

.

Moments earlier Armin was taking deep breathes inside the cramped interior of the barrel he was hiding inside of, gripped in Annie's massive Titan hand as she picked him up from off the ground. He steadied himself for his part in the plan they've concocted, and he couldn't help but see a flashback in his mind, although it was one he never experienced. The memory wasn't his, it was Bertoldt's.

Riding inside of a barrel just like the one he was in now, the place being just outside of his hometown Shinganshina on top of the Cart Titan's back. He felt the strong grip of the Beast Titan pull it's long hairy arm back and throw him forward in an expertly aimed pitch, one trained with years of experience. The rush of air as he watched through the small hole for him to breathe and see through in order to know when to shift. And when he was about 60 meters from the ground and in the center of the city, he slashed his finger with a nail stocked out from the barrels insides, feeling the surge of power as the lightning struck him.

Armin shook his head from the memory he inherited as he felt Annie draw back her arm and prepare to throw him, back in the present against the boats from Marley. He looked at a small shard of metal he'd brought into the barrel with him, and started to slice his finger tip, drawing blood.

.

The immense blast knocked all of the boats in different directions, and a huge wave of water spiralled them from being able to face any one direction long enough to see just what had happened. Another minute of rolling later and nearly 2 dozens meters from where the group had once been, the boats began to recover from the unexpected shockwave, but as they look to the source of the explosion. All of their jaws dropped in shock and their eyes widened with fear as they looked upon the massive blood red body standing in the water and far above it, lacking any skin whatsoever and peering down upon them as if they were insects. Massive blue eyes stared at each and every one of the men in front of it, while the ones behind stared at the humongous back being presented to them.

 _The Collasal Titan had appeared._

Immediatley the orders which once were to attack were now for a full retreat, although they wouldn't be able to be carried out. The Collasal Titan began to steam slowly at first, but the force and winds began to build higher and higher and the light also seemed to appear. Scalding and hurricane speed winds whipped around the ships and began to heat up their hulls, the gray metal starting to turn red slowly, burning everyone aboard and inside them. And Armin hasn't even built up to the full blast yet, he has to make sure Eren was far back on the shore before he could do that. His large head, though it was small in proportion to his body, turned to glance behind him where Annie had tossed him from. Back there he could see Eren crawling out of the water like some sea monster, and he turned back to face Armin as he blew the enemy away without mercy. Eren nodded his head towards his best friend and Annie nodded hers as well. Armin turned back to look down upon the dying men, and allowed more power and steam to burst forth from his body.

The same force that nearly killed him, burning his skin and flash until he was little more than pure muscle and even some bone.

The force and power of the God of Destruction.

.

.

 **Alright I'm back guys and gals, and again I'm very sorry that I have been absent from this story for two months now, but I've been caught up in writing for my main story Wings of a Warrior as well as my most popular Webs of Hearts which will be wrapping up soon (pun intended). Also my first Tokyo Ghoul story One Rung Up The Food Chain has been getting more and more popular, and is also taking off strong. Now my thoughts on 103 were pretty good, although I felt it was a bit short. Happy in an odd way to see that Eren couldn't break the crystal Lady Teiber created. Im not happy that he couldn't kill her, cause I want the Warhammer to be taken from them and for Paradise's side, but it means that Eren hasn't eaten Annie because she was last seen encased in the same material. I am pissed that's he hasn't reappeared yet, it's been what 70 Chapters now? Happy to see more of the Paradise crew, same with seeing Falco and Reiner alive although I wish the later would've woken up and decided to fight with his friends instead of whatever he's doing to himself. Also I'm very anxious to see what has happened to Pieck, out of all Marley's warriors we've come to know aside from the Titan trio she's my favorite. I'd hoped long ago that she would've been more neutral in this fight because she seems to know things aren't right about Paradise. Fuck Porko still, don't like him one bit. Hope he dies and Falco maybe hers his powers. Zeke...I hate to say but something is up with him. Especially the whole "Eren Jaeger is not my enemy" thing, but I still don't like him. He's too cruel for my taste, and before you try to accuse me of favoring the warriors who went to Paradise over him, they knew what they were doing was wrong and it all affected them. Zeke knows the people are helpless and took pleasure in slaughtering them. So I hope he dies, maybe even if he and Eren are on the same side that Eren double crosses him and takes his power into someone else like Jean or even Connie. Well until then you've at elast been updated. Next chapter should be soon because I've been working on that one more than this because I had a hard time doing the Paradise crew as opposed to Eren and Reiner talking. Remember to review and tell me your thoughts on everything as well as your own theories!**


	27. Revelations of The Man who opposes Peace

**Alright back to the current timeline! Slight recap, Eren and Reiner met up at his home under Eren's plan which Falco unknowingly played a major part in, Gabi is also present and Reiner will tell her and Falco the truth, Jean and Armin are off on their own around Liberio at the moment. Eren has revealed himself to the young Warrior cadets as the very target they are being trained to capture and bring back to Marley. And Reiner is coming clean about what he's been preparing to do all these years! Well sorry that it's SUPER late, but still I'll never stop writing. I'll just keep moving forward...until this story is finished. Yes that is a chapter 100 reference lol. Drop a review, let us begin.**

 ** _P.S, tell Me your thoughts on chapter 105 and theories for 106! I'd love to hear them! Same goes for whatever you readers think I will do with this story in the future! Personally 105 hit me hard although it felt a little short. But a few interesting things at play. Zeke working with Eren, I still don't like it at all although I am more curious about his other subordinate who apparently is a Marleyean Soldier. Yelena, whom I actually have doubts about being a Marleyean since we all thought the original Krueger was one until he freed Grisha and slaughtered the rest of the soldiers. Gabi I've grown to despise although I had high hopes for her, Falco I still do because he was there when Eren and Reiner talked. Reiner, I'm pissed at for fighting against Eren although a few things strike me as curious, like Erens last words to him being akin to "...There's no need to fight anymore. We'll meet again Reiner." And from what Pieck says he's been missing since Eren one punched his half armored ass. Porko we haven't seen anything of either since Eren used him as a nutcracker on Ms Tybur who I still wish we had an actual name for. Eren basically went and did what he had to, I'm in full support because he's gained them a major victory by killing and taking the Warhammer, slaughtering the Marley military leaders, and showing the world exactly what to expect if they declare and decide to go through with war against Paradise. And those of you who say Eren was rash and did bad, they were literally all there to declare war against eldians and exterminate them. If Eren hadn't struck then it still would've happened. He saw a chance and took it, ultimately paying off for him. And finally the one thing that hurt the most... Sasha's death. Even as I write up the last of this chapter I'm still hurt by it. Seriously send Gabi off the airship for that one head first. Sasha spared her, and this is the thanks she gets?! Damn Isayama. But Falco is alright though, he tried to stop her._**

 ** _And last but not least, lightning reformed: I don't think shifters can drown in their Titans because Pieck has been shown to arrive in to battle from underwater. So I think it's entirely possible for them to swim just fine although Reiner would be weighed died and The Colossal would have disadvantage in the water. The rest aside from the Beast would be fine though, although I do believe there is that theory of the beast titan changing shape depending on the inheritor. After all we've seen certain things that stick out, like all the Jaeger's having pointed ears while in their titan forms._**

 ** _Sorry for the reeealllly long author note lol, this is sorta like a second one because this chapter came out way later than expected. Rest assured I am back in full this time. Hopefully the next update for this will be up sooner than this one. Sorry if this chapter feels shorter but it will be longer in the next in a few good ways._**

 _Revelations of a Man who opposes "peace"_ _and discomfort._

 _"You're the... Founding Titan...You.."_

Gabi and Falco could only stare with wide eyes at the man Krueger, who now openly declared himself as Eren _Jaeger,_ the man the two warrior cadets were being trained to capture and bring back to the very country they were in now. They had no need to journey to Paradise island, their target had come to _them._ But before they could even think of doing anything,

Reiner spoke up to the pair as Eren still stood, his body fully regenerated and watching the two young children with something like expectance in his eyes. "Yeah, he is." Eren looked from them back to Reiner and asked "I believe it's time for that talk you mentioned earlier, don't you Reiner?" The blonde Warrior nodded grimly while taking his seat once more, and Mikasa eased herself back to the wall, feeling more in control of the situation.

So far everything had been going smoothly, and she intended to keep it that way until the others arrived, hopefully soon. Things were going better than expected, but if Mikasa has learned just one thing over the years, it's to never think it willl work itself out. They've been on the receiving end of that backlash too many times to count, so she would still treat the situation the same as it's been from the start and keep her guard up no matter what is exchanged between the others in the room. She listens as her former classmate starts speaking to the younger children in the room.

"Yeah, it is. Gabi, Falco, there's some things I need to tell you...about myself, my time across the ocean 4 years ago, and about Paradise Island." Reiner's voice was a bit heavier but more at ease for some strange reason. Perhaps it was the chance to finally get the truth off his chest and stop living as such a lie. He's been having to hide who he was since Ymir was still alive, and even then he had to hide the full truth from her because she was set to be consumed by Porko.

The thought of that bastard made Reiner's temper flare a bit, although not visibly outside of a slight hardening in his eyes. But he has to keep it together, especially since Mikasa's here. He knows just how deadly and protective she is, she nearly killed him and Bertoldt 3 times each, every attempt nearly being successful. If she wants to kill him, shells find a way to. Reiner shook his head and continued as Eren and Mikasa watched him closely before Gabi spoke up, confused and stressed out.

"What do you mean about...your time there? You already said that...it was hell there. That they were all devils. That's what you said." Gabi said slowly and Reiner grimaced at hating the thought of bursting Her bubble. He hates that he's lied to her, but it's not like he's had many options to work with. Reiner sighed as he started to correct her.

"I left out the part where I _created_ that Hell, and so did Marley. The people of Paradise are _Innocent Gabi._ They aren't Devils, they never were. _We were the devils._ We, _I_ killed hundreds of innocent people in the name of beliefs I thought were the truth. Raised here to hate our own kind, to want to exterminate them to please our masters. I was the true devil there." He finished as he looked down and Gabi couldn't speak, she was having a hard time accepting this.

Falco started first "You call them people? But they...they can destroy the world! They're evil, why we live in camps-" but He was stopped by the very man who made this meeting come to fruition. " _No_ , Falco. _We_ are not the reason you and everyone else lives in this damn prison. That's _Marley's_ fault. Yeah, your right about us having the power to destroy the world, but think Falco. Tell me, what had Marley been using the 7 Titan powers they've had for a century for?" Eren asked and Falco stayed silent as he starts to see it in a different ligli, his eyes widening a tiny bit. Gabi fails to understand but Krueger obliges her with an explanation.

"They've been using them and our people to wage war against the world since King Fritz left to Paradise and left your group here. He was a _coward, and anything but a king._ Marley is the one using mindless Titans to consume and destroy people, not Paradise. Like at Fort Slava, after all it wasn't Paradise who created those mindless Titans nor sunk that fleet at fort slava. All that was Marley and it's warriors. Hell you want to know something _very_ interesting?" He asked and recierecno answer, seeing that he had them at his full attention.

"Paradise knew nothing about the rest of the world even _existing_ _until_ _4_ years ago. We inside the walls thought the world was destroyed and consumed by the Titans, until the Colossal and Armored destroyed our first wall and let the mindless ones inside." Both Gabi and Falco's mouths drop in surprise at this revelation, and Eren continued, his voice growing hard like iron, and Reiner actually flinched at the mention of his actions destroying the false idea of peace and isolation those in the walls used to hold.

"We never knew where the Titans came from, what they were, what _we were_ until We discovered my basement in my hometown. You see my father came from _here_ , he was an Eldian from Liberio sentenced to imprisonment on Paradise for trying to restore the Eldian race in secret years many years ago. He watched as his fellow revolutionists and even his first wife were all transformed into the very monsters who ate my friends right after our graduation in the military. _His first wife however, came and ate my mother right in front of me. And do you know why?"_ The young cadets stay silent, not giving an answer as some of it began to make sense to them. Eren continued with his small speech.

"Because Reiner and the other warriors were sent from here by Marley to take the Founding Titan from us when we did nothing with it for a century. Not out of peace, but out of ignorance. Peace isn't thinking that your all that's left, and that the world outside only wants to eat you for no apparent reason. That isn't peace, that's being trapped in a cage like _livestock_. And nine years ago we received a grim reminder that we _Always_ lived in fear of the titans." Eren finished and peeked an eye at Reiner who hung his head in shame.

Gabi and Falco were staring at the infiltrator with shocked expressions, and Gabi tried speaking to him over something she'd caught him emphasize. "You said that your people didn't attack because you were ignorant about the world outside your walls, _but not because you were peaceful._ Why are you doing here...what are you _going to do?"_ At the nervous and somewhat accusing tone Eren smiled at her, and the look creeped out those in the room from this land. Eren chuckled at the looks on the young girls face, not out of cruelty but out of maturity. He remembers how he used to be, seeing the world in such black and white. And even though he sees things in more of an overall grey, he still sees his side as the light over the dark. It was natural, no matter who anyone was. It was just the way the world worked.

"What am I going to do? Well I stated that already, I'm here to free my people. That includes my friends and family on Paradise, Falco, Reiner, even you. And also every Eldian in this camp, we will all be free and safe when this is over. And it'll be done in a months time, when that _lovely_ festival is set to begin. The one with the world leaders all coming for a play of some sort since I've seen that theatre being constructed. The one the Teiber family and the Marleyean government intend to declare war on Paradise, which I cannot sit by and allow to happen." Eren told the still reluctant girl and the three Liberio Eldians sat there in shock, starting to comprehend just what he was hinting at. Reiner's mind was thinking deep on this, trying to see the big picture being painted before him.

 _'So that's his plan, he's going to use the opportunity that the festival gives to attack the higher ups for Marley. I mean all the generals and commanders will all be there, Magath, The Teibers of course...and the Warriors as well.'_ His mind concluded before a troubling thought came to his attention. _'How does he intend to get everyone out of here? There's easily close to 3 hundred Eldians in this camp, even if he and the scouts captured all the investigation ships fully intact there just wouldn't be enough room.'_ The blonde decided to voice his questions to Eren.

"Eren I understand why your going to _attend_ the event... but even if you do plan on taking _everyone_ here back to Paradise, how would you even do that? You guys don't have enough ships to do something that huge, there's still limited space on the investigation ships no matter how big they appear." At the man's concerns Eren gave a mysterious look and merely waved Reiner off, giving him a brief explanation.

"We have that planned out, don't you worry. You'll just have to wait till that time comes closer, after all you'll play a integral role. _If your genuine_ with what you've been saying so far Reiner. After all, which side am I talking to?" Eren looked Reiner dead in the eyes as he asked the question that the younger ones didn't seem to understand. Reiner stayed silent, and Eren had to ask again, hoping that he didn't mess anything up with the man's fragile mind. Otherwise he would've been forced to use a different method to recruiting Reiner. One he isn't actually sure he would like to attempt yet, despite the overall tests coming off as promising so far.

"Reiner." The blonde stiffened a bit at his name being called a little more forcefully, but he just had to collect himself before he could answer truthfully. However, he Is going to answer Eren's question either way.

"Are you a Warrior or are you a soldier?" Eren asked and Reiner took a deep breath and sighed before looking up. "I'm alive Eren. There is no choosing sides, if I choose either I'm still lying to myself. So I'm neither, but I'm going to help you because I am _both_. I will help you, and I'll bring freedom to all of the people here." Reiner declares and Eren's eyebrow raised as he gave a small smile. He stood and offered to shake Reiner's hand while Gabi and Falco watched in disbelief while Mikasa watched with reserved judgement still present on her face. Reiner saw the hand and also stood to take it, joining hands with Eren and shaking twice.

Reiner felt a wace of relief wash over him as he openly declared his loyalty to the people of Paradise, but it left when he heard two voices protest behind him. Younger voices that belonged to those who didn't quite understand just yet about why he was doing this.

"Reiner you can't do that! Your the most loyal warrior of Marley! Its treason! What if aunt Karina finds out?" Gabi protests while Falco is less vocal about the loyalty issue and more concerned with Reiner putting his trust in Krueger considering he'd lied to Falco only minutes ago and for the past month or so since they met. "Braun sir, do you really think you can trust Mr Krue...Eren Jaeger? He's a liar! I don't doubt what you know but he's been deceiving me since we came back home to Liberio! How can you just shake hands and be on his side because of what he supposedly says he'll do?!" He said while glancing back forth nervously towards Mr Krueger and his Sister, if she was even that.

Eren raised his brows and got ready to speak when Reiner stepped up to take the heat. "Both of you, _Enough. I don't care about loyalty to Marley, I haven't been truly loyal since I came back from Paradise._ I've just been waiting for the opportunity I needed to keep Gabi alive since I know my mother is too far gone to just believe anything I could've tried to tell her. I only did what I've done since coming back in order to survive. If it wasn't for you Gabi I would've just transformed, grabbed Ymir and swam back to the island." Reiner stated with bitterness in his voice as he remembers the friend who made one helluva difference in his life more so than anyone else, the friend he lead to her death because he was still unsure of who he was.

But it wasn't that way anymore, he's got a full grip on who he is. He's not a Warrior, and he's already been outcasted as a soldier for his actions. So like he told Eren, He's alive and he's going to do the right thing because he's been given the opportunity to do so. Gabi was looking at her cousin dith wide eyes, not believing what she's hearing but also confused. She asks the person she looked up to "Who...who's Ymir? Your not talking about _Ymir Fritz are you?"_ Much to her relief he shook his head, and she knew that his mental health wasn't completely out of whack. After all he was still thinking of joining the devil island's people against Marley, the people who've allowed them to live even after what their ancestors did-

"No..Ymir was a friend of mine on Paradise island who... I lead to her death. She was one of the mindless Titans for 60 years until...she ate Marcel and gained the Jaws power. She stayed hidden for years, but we met when I enlisted in Paradise's military. And when I was caught, she chose to hand herself over. Zeke, Pieck and I brought her back to the mainland. That's where Galliard got his powers from, not that he deserves them. Marcel was my friend but...I'm glad that I met Ymir. She helped me become what I am ever since I had my eyes opened and my priorities shifted. She gave her life...so I could live mine for the truth."

Reiner paused before he looked towards Eren with somber eyes, and he felt the emerald green bore into his with some _surprise_ in them, his sister not so much but she too was caught a little off guard by this sudden revelation. Eren however recovered from his surprise first, and decided to voice his curiosity to the former warrior and soldier.

"That so Reiner? Well I can't say that I'm as accepting of that as I am of your loyalty. You two always seemed to be at each other's throats over Historia, but like we've both seen before. People change. I guess you two got closer to her end didn't you? I would've liked to have seen that." He asked in a more careful but thoughtful tone, much to the surprise of Gabi and Falco. But there was something in his tone that caught the laters attention, and cadet Grice asked a question tentatively to Eren.

"What are you getting at Mr Krueger, I mean Jaeger? You sound like...you want him to tell you more." Eren's response actually caught everyone aside from Mikasa off guard when he answered with a casual mention of something very _unusual. "_ Actually I wished to see it for myself, and maybe show you two something that should clear all of this up. I'll need Reiner's help with it though, but it's painless and won't take more than a touch."

Reiner's eyes widened as he begins to think about what Eren is hinting and insinuating right now, ' _He can't actually do that can he? How, how far has he come with being a shifter, much less the Coordinate?!'_ He thinks as he starts to recall how Eren had used it once before and stopped him in his tracks before setting mindless Titans on him. Then only a month later he'd shown up in shinganshina able to use the hardening ability with surprisingly deadly effectiveness, kicking his ass until Reiner was nearly killed by the scouts and their new explosive Spears.

He hasn't seen Eren for 4 solid years now, there was no way for Reiner to tell just what Eren is now capable of doing. And if he was actually hinting that he wished to used the Founding Titan's power on the two young Eldians with his help for some unknown reason. After all he was far from Royal Blood with his mixed Marleyean and Eldian bloodline, so why did Eren say he requires his assistance?

"Eren...why do you need me? I'm not connected to the Royal bloodline, what purpose do I serve in this?" Reiner asked and his anxiety began to rise when Eren gave him a grim look, the same one he'd held just a few minutes prior to Reiner declaring his allegiances, when he was talking about what happened on Paradise. Reiner's thoughts then began to grow fearful.

' _He's not talking about using me like...an example of the truth...is he? He's not going to use the Founding Titan's power to show them my memories is he?!'_ His eyes widened and he looked to Eren's grim face, perhaps he was thinking that Reiner had just now pieced together what he intended to use the blonde warrior for. Eren then spoke and confirmed his fears verbally.

"I need to show them your memories Reiner. It's the only way that they'll be truly convinced by what we've been talking about, because even if they don't believe me...they know you wouldn't be able to like to them this far. You can't fake an entire person's life in their memories, so if they see what you have in there with my help...you can help save them. If you're willing to share what you've seen and done for them to see. Can you do that Reiner?" Eren asked, not threateningly this time like he had before with the sliced hand and chairs. This was a genuine question aimed solely at him to answer. And it was only for Reiner to decide, even if it hadn't seemed like he has a choice.

Reiner looked to the ground for a moment before closing his eyes, not at war with himself but just feeling a sense of fear and shame. And rightfully so, after all their going to see most likely the worst of what he's done during his time as a warrior. During his time brainwashed but slowly beginning to realize the truth of their situation during the mission. And yet even though he wishes he didn't have to show them it, that he could spare them from the horrors they'll see him commit...he has to. Not because he feels threatened or forced, but because it's what he should face and sacrifice for the better good.

What had be said to Eren years ago? When they were atop wWal Rose and he began to slip into pure warrior as soldiers guilt weighed on him?

" _Why did there have to be people like this? Why...why did I let myself devolve...into such a half ass piece of shit?! It's too late now, damned if I know what's right anymore! Who cares...it is what it is. No choice but to face what I've done. As a Warrior...no road left but the one that leads to the end!"_

He thinks to his lost comrades, the three Warriors he went to that island with, so determined to save the world as their had once thought to be the right way. And even then there had been doubts the night before it would all happen, Marcel revealing to him that he was the reason why Reiner was selected over Porko, his hesitqthes along with Bertoldt's about breaching the wall the next day.

Marcel being eaten, Annie kicking and beating him for his failure to die when Marcel did instead. Shifting to protect Annie and Bertold from the very large Titan swarm Annie had attracted with her Titans scream. Grabbing bertold before he could be pounced upon by the swarm after kicking in the outer gate.

Rushing towards the inner gate with Marcel's last words still clouding his mind, hearing the screams and shouts of the Garrison and civilians alike as the mindless Titans came for them.

Bertoldt and himself nearly being killed by Mikasa when they tried to kidnap Eren, and later the fear the pair felt when Armin told them of Annie being imprisoned and tortured beyond imagining. The same fear when Eren sent mindless Titans to kill him and Bertoldt until Ymir decided to help them out.

When he and Bertoldt were both taken down in shinganshina but Zeke and Pieck only managed to retrieve him while his friend was held hostage by Eren. He knows Bertoldt is long gone by now, and be is sickened that he doesn't even know what happened to Annie, about whether or not what Armin had claimed was true.

He'll do this for them, because he was the only one to return home when the both of them wished to return after Marcel died. And yet he forced them to stay, to complete the mission out of both selfish self preservation and that stupid idea of him being a hero, respected by his friends instead of always being the weakest link out of them all. The only thing that's gotten him to this point was his loyalty to Marley, and that hasnt been apart of him for many years now.

If he shares this with Gabi and falco, the first thing hell he'll ask in return is what happened to his friends.

He opens his eyes and looks up to Eren once more, nodding his head in consent, but bedobecan extend his hand towards himself Reiner let's Eren know what he wishes. "Alright Eren, I'll help show them. But afterwards...I need to know what happened to Annie and Bertoldt. I just need to know... Please."

Eren gave him a curious tilt of his head before nodding to the request. "That's sounds more than reasonable Reiner, I'll tell you after the others get back." At the last words Reiners ears perked up as well as his eyes widened. "Others? They're...they're coming here?" He asked and once again Eren nodded. Reiner took a deep breathe and sighed, as much as he wanted to see them, he knows it won't be the reunion he's fantazied about before. But still, he has a task to carry out before that can even happen.

"Alright let's... let's do this." Reiner stared firmly and Eren reached out with his hand for Reiner to take, which he did after staring at it for a few seconds, still feeling that tingle of fear and shame but ultimately overcoming it and holding hands. Eren looked to Falco and told the boy. "It's your turn Falco, all you have to do it sound Reiner or me, doesn't matter which. You'll still see the same thing."

Falco gulped and looked to Reiner for a sign of some sort, but saw rather than telling him to stay away, Reiners face tells him to step forward and become apart of whatever they were trying to attempt. He swallows once more before putting his hand atop of Reiners and Erens.

Gabi was still in place watching in place when all tree of them then turned to Her, and the only person who she really looks to is her cousin. He gives her a soft nod and offers out his hand which she stares at, much like he'd done with Jaeger's. He spoke to her though "Gabi...it's alright. It's the only way to show you...the truth. About me, Marley, us...and Paradise. Please." She still looked scared, but she too took his hand with hers.

Seeing the acceptance Eren then began to focus on the Founding Titan's poeer within him to only be used on these two. And still holding the vial of blood Historia granted him years ago when he pleased to talk with Annie on a sting around his neck, he felt the tingle in his mind. From the gasps of the other three, they certainly felt something else as well.

He closed his eyes and felt it all fade into darkness, and then Light.


	28. update

I am SUPER SORRY FOR THE LATE CHAPTER! I know a good amount of you are scratching your heads asking what the hell's taking so long, but rest assured it is coming soon enough. I hope to have it out before the month ends, I already hate **tha** t I've put it off this long. Please just hold out a little longer, I promise it'll be worth it!


	29. The Boy who would become a hero

**Well I'm glad you all liked the previous chapter even though it was nearly 3 months late! Same with this one sadly! So you guys and gals more or less can guess what a good portion of this chapter will be like. Well drop a review, tell me your thoughts and theories as well. Let us begin.**

 **Ps** **, sorry this is out SUPER late, things have been a bit harder for writing so do forgive me, I'll give a full explanation at the ending of the chapter** **along with my thoughts on where the manga is right now which is at the very least to say, _crazy (frustrating yet satisfying)._ Well I've rambled enough, lets get onto the chapter** **you've all been waiting six (possibly 7 by now) months for. Hopefully it's good enough.**

 **Well a second author's note is in order since this story went on not updated MUCH longer than I initially tried to avoid. So I'm super SUPER sorry for everyone who's been waiting. Things have just** **been very hectic in my life as of late, my writing in particular since I've been writing bits for all my stories but unable to update since none of the chapters are as good or long as I want them to be. Call it writer's block which is hard to say since I'm full of the ideas, just unable to properly get it typed out. But since your reading this then obviously I've gotten the chapter finished and out. I'll explain more at the very bottom of the chapter.**

 _The_ _World The Boy Saw_

 _Year 845_

 _He_ _sat on the hard ground on both his hands and knees, panting from the long distance he'd run in order to get away from the Mindless Titan which just ate Marcel. A friend of his and an important warrior to Marley was dead, and the blame was completely on him. Marcel sacrificed himself to save him, the person he claimed the night before really shouldn't have been chosen for this._

 _'I'm not good for anything, I messed up and now Marcel's dead. Because I didn't do a damn thing he was eaten, and now Marley's lost one of it's powers!! I screwed up!! I'm FUCKED!!!!' He thought, panicked and full of fear as he noticed Annie and Bertoldt too had run to the same place he was now, both of them looking winded._

 _He heard Annie saying something to him, something about being the fastest at running._ _She'd kicked him right in the stomach when they arrived initially, and her face had held a good amount of anger direcred towards him, but for good reason. He cost Marley a warrior, and they all lost a friend._ _Then he began to see that she was nearly on the verge of tears over their loss as she said "...You bastards... Marcel... he'll never come back..."_

 _Her usually stony expression broke and it made Reiner feel even more horrible because of his fuck up. He's NEVER seen her show any sort of emotion other than anger, but this chilled him to his bone._ _But her next words surprised him, and so did the tone she spoke them with._

 _"C'mon, let's go back. We have to retrieve the Jaw, and clean up your failure." Her cold face was back as she went on glaring ar him from over her shoulder._ _That titan must've returned to human form somewhere._ _We can't execute the plan to retake the Founding Titan's power without_ _Marcel's command anyways. This plan...has already failed." He heard her say almost to herself_ _, but as she walked away Reiner noticed Bertoldt get his breathing under control and began to follow her as well._

 _Reiner saw his mother's face before him, telling him that she had confidence in him completing his mission. The very mission He had ruined before it could even be put into effect. They had just arrived on this island of devils Last night for gods sake, why did things go so horribly so fast?!_

"So that's how it was from your perspective that day Reiner." Eren said as he, Reiner, and the two younger warrior cadets watched the tragic scene play out before them from Reiner's memories.

When Eren had used the Founding Titan's ability to see memories in a method similar to how he spoke with Annie, the four of them were transported into Reiner's mind as spectators, seeing and even hearing his thoughts of that day. The two young ones felt sympathy and pity for a man they'd always seen as a sort of pillar, unshakable and steady. Ever the leader and support for the team when they needed it. Seeing him at what might've been the first of his lowest moments shook them up inside, and the two younger Eldians found themselves thinking the same thing. _This was not right._

Children should not have to be sent to war, even worse they shouldn't crave it or want to take part in it. But being raised in the Liberio internment zone all their lives with Marleyean propaganda telling them of the devil people they are apart of plotting to a overthrow the world made things worse. Because of their environment they couldn't do anything to fight against it. Yes they saw the inequalities they faced compared to the people of Marley, but they never dared say anything in retaliation. Retaliation of any sort in Marley's eyes meant rebellion, and rebellion meant punishment. The ultimate punishment: Taken to Paradise.

Reiner knew this, he'd known all of this as a child growing up in the area, and was feed the delusions and grandeur of the Marleyean race by his mother. Back then he took every word his mother and the Marleyean government told him as absolute truth, with no room for dispute or question. It's what most Eldians did in the camp, even if they held no respect for their Masters. They did what they had to in order to survive, simple as that. Reiner sighed at this, knowing they were far from over with what Eren was going to show them.

"Yeah, it is. Back then I didnt really know what good and bad were, I only thought I did. If I could change what happened then I would've Eren, believe me." He said and saw the odd look of understanding on the natured Jaeger's face, and then looked to see how the two candidates for the Armored Titan inheritor were doing.

Falco seemed to be alright, but Gabi was the one Reiner was most concerned about. He knew she was just as passionate about serving Marley in the miniscule hopes of making things better for Eldians as a whole, but if she could be persuaded to see how Paradise could actually save them all much more effectively than she ever could, then she would be on board with whatever Eren might be planning to do. And from what Reiner remembered of the hot headed boy from back then to what he was seeing now, it was definitely going to be an eye opener.

Eren spoke then to the rest of them "Let's continue to _that_ moment." The scene before them changed until they stood in a grassy field area, Reiner in his Armored titan form carrying a blonde girl who appeared to have passed out from overexertion while in titan form. Before him however was a massive wall, as tall as the Colossal titan Marley once held in it's roster of Eldian monsters.

Reiner had a pretty good guess about what they'd be seeing next, but that fact didnt make it any easier to watch. It was something that Reiner secretly had a few nightmares of happening in Liberio, of retaliation from Paradise Island with a hurricane of fury and destruction in it's wake. Something that he now was conspiring with the one person who could do it in an instant if he wished it from what he's witnessed in the last half hour.

 ** _CRAAAAAAACK!!!!!!!_**

 _A massive bolt of yellow lightning struck a spot perhaps a dozen meters from the massive wall._ _In the area now stood a massive humanoid, devoid of skin and steam blowing in the wind. A gruesome sight to the people on the **inside** of the walls. Something they never expected, and never prepared for. A grim reminder that they were trapped in a cage, and that the cage was about to be broken._

Gabi and Falco watched with wide eyes as the former Colossal Titan holder kicked a enormous hole near the bottom of the wall, in an area where a gate for some reason seemed to be constructed at. Not that it had been used in over 100 years aside from the Scouting expeditions, but the young warriors of Marley couldn't have known that. Behind them the small pair saw a _horde_ of titans, easily triple and quute possibly quadruple the number they had seen dropped on Fort Salva weeks earlier. And these titans weren't stumbling about walking mindlessly like the dead come back to life. No, these Titans charged and sprinted with clear intent, Gabi and Falco quickly deduced that the blonde girl in Reiner's hand mustve been the Female Titan holder and had used the scream which could drive Titans into a frenzy.

 _The Colossal Titan began to fall to its knee, massive amouts of steam billowing out into the air around a dark haired, lanky boy._ _Reiner was nearly mobbed by the group of Titans that came for the gate, and much to his shock one managed to get past him and was approaching where Bertoldt was, still near the gate._ _Reiner felt fear as he dreaded losing another of his friends right in front of them. To his surprise, the titan seemed to ignore Bertoldt in favor of the wide open hole with hundreds of people on the other side. Finally Reiner caught a break when he managed to get free of the titans swarming about and grabbed Bertoldt with his free hand before scaling the wall before him a bit._

"I remember this as one of the worst days of my life, and it's what made me what I was for a long time. If only I knew then what I do now." Reiner said as he watches himself crawl down the other side and land inside Shinganshina.

 _He walked and steadly made his way further into the city, trying to avoid seeing the mindless transformed Eldians eat more of their own kind in a sick act of desperate cannibalism. After all, every titan created sought the chance to return back from the living nightmare they would endure till the end of tine itseld if they were not killed. To find one with a piece of Ymir and take it into themselves, even if they would die only a mere 13 years later. It was a horrible cycle that would never end, not that Reiner was thinking this at the moment. No, Reiner thought of other more selfish things as he spotted the inner gate and the handful of soldiers who seemed to be guarding it._

 _He thought of Marcel, his now dead friend having been the real reason he was selected as a warrior. He thought of his mother back in Liberio awaiting his return and success, sp he and she could become honorary Marleyeans and reunite with_ _his father. A man who hated him and his mother simply because of their blood and wanted nothing to do with either of them or any of his race, like all Marleyeans did. A man Reiner no longer actually cared if he made proud or not, but he still wishes to bring his mother happiness._

 _Reiner stood for a moment as he saw the soldiers and what little civilians remained look at him in shock and astonishment. Many backed up a few steps because of the raw aura of power he must have been giving off to them, despite him feeling nothing like that in this moment. He leaned back and then forward into a running stance, one arm in front of him and pne slightly behind him. The same went for his legs, bent to hive him grip into the soil and dirt shoved down beneath his enormous and heavy frame._

 _He launched forward and tore the earth up with his feet, thunderous stomps signalling his imminent arrival to the eldians watching his approach in horror._

 _Some of the soldiers tried to slow him down with their cannons, firing a shot directly at him which shattered into nothingness against his collarbone and didn't slow his pace in any way. The next shot missed his shoulder and face entirely and he began to pick up more speed the closer he got to the gate._

' _I can't die now... because I don't understand a damn thing!!_ '

" _Thats the problem. I've been here to long for my own good." He said as his head hurt, and he began to see things as he **used to**_ _and not as he wanted to._

The scene before them was much different than before, and a few years seemed to have passed from the fall of the great wall they had just seen. Eren and Reiner knew this moment well, but to Falco and Gabi have no idea what the significance of this moment was to the older warrior and the rebel.

 _They all stood atop of one of the great walls, and in this place many a people stood waiting. There were people who stood_ _wearing a strange uniform and set of equipment, and most of them wore green cloams with a symbol of blue and white wings crossing one another. Reiner stood close to Eren, with his arm in a sling from some sort of injury. "The man who opposed peace" looked much different as well, since he too wore the uniform and equipment and his hair was nowhere near as long as it was now. The same dark haired asian woman who came with Eren stood close by with her hand on a trigger of sorts connected to the large boxes, her face tense and eyes narrowed. A much taller boy with black hair stood near Reiner and Eren, sweating and looking at the blonde with his face full of anxiety and fear. He must've been the holder of the Colossal, since Reiner never intentionally brought him up in conversation because of bad memories associated with the failed mission on Paradise._ _Reiner_ _began to speak again, either to himself or_ _to the people around them._

 _"3 years of this madness, surronded by idiots. We were kids, what did we know about anything?" He asked himself as his personalities began to clash, with the warrior winning._

"I didn't know a damn thing, just like that day at Wall Maria. But this _is_ where things came to a head." Reiner said with a grimace on his face as he stared at his younger self struggle with deciding to do what he thought then was the necessary course of action, where now he saw it as foolish and rash.

Falco asked the blonde "What do you mean Braun sir? Do you mean they figured out who you were?" with surprise in his voice. Reiner nodded and gestured back to the scene before them, hearing the next words of Reiner's declaration of sorts. "Yeah, they did and planned to capture us without making it aware to us, but then... I started to lose it."

" _Why... why did I devolve into such a half assed piece of shit?! It's too late now, dammed if I don't know what's right anymore! Who cares, it is what it is! As a Warrior, no road left but the one that leads to the end!!" Reiner finished yelling as he held his steaming and healing arm high to see, much to the shock of everyone else except the taller boy who took a few steps back._

 _"Reiner! Right now, here?! **We're doing this?!** " He half yelled in anticipation and the other half in fear, as he watched his friend stalk towards Eren who could only watch in disbelief._

Gabi and Falco could see that this sudden reveal was as dramatic as the first Wall having been attacked in the first place. They listened on and saw what was about to happen next with eyes as wide as the younger version of Eren in Reiner's mind.

 _However while Eren stood in place, Mikasa already began her counterattack for whatever Reiner was going to try, and spun with both of her blades in full motion. She aimed for his neck, to sever his head before he could transform but unluckily_ _he manged to get his right arm up to take most of the damage, although it severed his wrist completely from his arm and sliced lightly into his cheek. Still his head was on his own shoulders. But the dark haired boy_ _was nearly decapitated when her other blade sliced right through his esophagus, making him fall back and choke on his own blood._

 _Seizing her chance to kill the greatest eneny of humanity, Mikasa aimed her blade downward towards his head while yelling for her brother to run. But before she could plunge the blade down she was rammed from behind, courtesy of Reiner's brute strength and determination to save his fellow warrior and friend. "Bertoldt!!"_

Falco could feel the hairs on his arms rising in tension from the scene before him as he saw the electricity that signalled a transformation began to gather around the two injured boys. He gave a sideways glance towards Gabi and saw she had some goosebumps on the small bit of skin he could see under her plain clothes, and her eyes were just as wide as his. Out of the corner in the _other_ direction Falco could see the yellow haired man, Mr. Arlert, from earlier running and shouting for Eren to flee just as the storm struck.

 _"RUN AWAY!!!!!"_

 _Lightning and sparks encased and flashed over the two bleeding warriors, and in the flash of brightness two dark shapes of faces were visible but for a moment. One armored and plated while the other appeared fleshless even if it were only a shadow on the respective faces of both titan shifters. A massive crackle of more lightning struck the spot on the wall from the heavens above throught the bit of gloomy cloud cover keeping the sun away for the most part._

 ** _CRRRAAAAAA-BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!_**

 _An enormous explosion marked the area where the_ _warriors once stood, and everyone who wasn't attached to the wall with ODM Gear was thrown back by tornado strength winds. Multiple_ _loud crashings sounds followed one another as gigantic ribs snapped onto both sides of Wall Rose, holding a massive torso that was still forming and growing flesh. Eren still looked towards the center of the hurricane with shock in his eyes as the Colossal Titan reared it's head and gave a great roar with it's eyes glowing yellow. The Armored Titan was silent as his jaw plate slid up to protect it's jaws, but grabbed onto Eren when the boy was finally blown loose from the portion of wall he had been holding onto for dear life._

 _Reiner saw Bertoldt grab Ymir in one of his huge hands and pull her back while he went over the outer side of the wall with Eren still in his left hand. He used his other ha d and part of his upper back's armor to slow his descent to a safer speed, even though he was still heavy enough to drop faster than anything else falling from the wall at the moment. Suddenly his hand exploded as he hears Eren shout out in an anger he only ever expressed this loudly when facing the titans._

 _"YOU FUCKING TRAITORS!!!!!!"_

 _Reiner watched with his set expression of grim acceptance and resolution as Eren transformed and sent his fist right for his face, a beastly roar_ _eminating from his predatory jaws and heard clear as day by the Armored titan. The dust smashed into half of his face and although it did little to no damage, it sent the other half grinding into the unforgiving hardened skin of the walls titans. A mere moment later they both smashed into the ground with as much speed as he had the inner gate of Shinganshina that day 5 years ago._

 _The Clash Of The Titans had begun._

"Well we're almost finished here, but I think there's just one more memory to show them Reiner, although this one will be new to me as well." Eren said and Reiner was confused as to which he might be referring to. It could vary from after the battle agaunst the Scouts and Titans Commander Erwin had led to stop him from escaping directly to Zeke, or it could be somewhere in his time back here in Marley. Reiner decided to ask so he could remember and show the two young ones. "What memory are you thinking of? Was it here in Liberio or when we were still on Paradise?"

Eren tilted his head to the side a small bit and scratched his left ear with his right hand. For a brief moment Reiner was reminded of how Zeke would do something similar with the way he scratched an itch, either out of habit or when he was deep in thinking. He knew that Eren and Zeke shared the same last name, which meant they were related by some way other than both just being Eldians. He also remembers that both of their titans though different had pointed ears for some reason. Perhaps members of their family had been left here in Marley while the rest were taken with the king over a century ago to the island. He would ask after this reminising was over.

"Well sometime after we took the district back, involving Ymir. You said that it was her words that got you to become who you are now. I'm curious about what she of all people could've told you in order to sway you to the truth." Eren said and Reiner had to think of just _which_ memory would be best. Either their talk on the boat back or the very last time he saw her in the cell underground. Swallowing a bit of bile that threatened to surface in his mouth for leading the girl to her fate, He nodded and said "Fine, I'll take us there."

Reiner closed his eyes for a few moments and began to vividly remember the environment of that horrible jail. Eren looked around in interest as more things became detailed and appeared while Falco and Gabi also took it all in, noticing that it appeared to be underground in order to keep a shifter trapped even if they were to attempt escape by using their powers.

 _"Ymir?_ _Are you awake?" Reiner called out gently into the cell where what apoeared to be a girl around his age slept on a horrid looking bed in deplorable conditions even for Eldians of Libero. Receiving no answer, Reiner believed her to be asleep, and would leave her be of that was her current desire. However before he could depart from the cell block completely a voice stopped him. Since there was only one occupant in the place, it was fairly obvious who it came from._

 _"Aw coming to say goodbye to little old me? I'm touched Reiner. Some lucky girl you'll meet will appreciate that kind of personality... or should I say: **personalities**." The woman spoke, and it seened her voice had a naturally sarcastic tone to it, or one that held some smug even if mild sense of superiority to those around her. __She sat up so her face could be seen, and honestly even to those who knew nothing of her or seen the woman at her best, could see this person was nearly dead in every way short of being devoured or exhaling a final breathe. Whatever Reiner had been preparing to say died in his through_

 _"So... how are you?" He asks, unsure what to say in this situation. The way he says it apparently amuses Ymir, as a smile begins to tug it's way onto her face. She starts to chuckle low, before it starts to turn into full blown insane laughter. Tears actually come from her eyes as he watches, and he gets a momentary chill of fear run down his spine. Even the sarcastic laughter he always heard her give sounds broken, lost to a void that the girl must've felt. She finally stops and wipes her face a little, but a few tears come down from her face._

 _"Oh I'm just peachy big brother Braun. Only a few more days till I'm free from this curse they call life. I guess I'm just... waiting for it to come. But enough about me, how are we doing Reiner? Have you finally decided what to do with yourself? What you can live with, or who to live for? Because I know you don't have that much time left, just like me. So what's it gonna be?"_ _The then current Jaws holder asked, and Reiner appeared to be deep in thought as to how he should answer._

Watching the flash back, Reiner told the other three present " It was this conversation that made me switch completely to doing the right thing. That made me see through all the bullshit and joined my personalities back into one. It made me _Me._ And it's all thanks to Ymir for giving a shove in the right direction. I owe her a debt I cant actually repay." Reiner finished, sounding depressed once again over causing the death of the girl when she helped him so much.

 _"I'm... I'm alive. That's what I am. I don't know who I am anymore, and I don't think I ever did, not really. I'm just doing what I have to to live on. That's the best I can word it." He looks up to see her giving him a warm smile, and he gives her a confused face in return. He's never seen this given to him from her before, and it's almost surreal to see it._

 _"So I guess you finally get it, you see the point I'm trying to make. You understand why I went with you now, don't you?" She asks him and he shake shis head, more confused than ever. She shakes her head and rolls her eyes at his ignorance, and he sees now the familiar face she always had back in the cadet days. She huffs and gives him a look that he takes as "important words time"._

 _"Reiner, I can say this only so many ways before it gets tiresome. You need to be who you are, but to do that you need to decide. Be the Warrior for Marley and suffer till you die for a cause you know is a lie. Or be the soldier you know you enjoyed being and fight for what matters to You, when the time comes. I'm not gonna be here to help you decide what to do, but at least I can know that I tried to save someone else who lived a lie all their lives because it's all they knew."_

 _He looks at her, and asks a question he's been itching to ask since she came with them when she knew she could've been free. "Ymir... why did you come with us, even after you saw Eren use the coordinate? You could've stayed with Historia and the rest, and told them the truth about the outside world. I know what you said to me and Bert about being a goddess, but it still doesn't make sense to me."_

 _She gives Reiner a sad smile, and chuckles a little as she lies back on her bed, as if to look at the stars. She reaches her hand up to grab the pearly lights like she had done atop Wall Maria. But the only thing she sees before her is the dull brick of the underground cell, no freedom this time, nothing to look for and run towards. "You saw what I wrote in my letter, my past right? What I was before I went into that nightmare?"_

 _Reiner's memories drew him from the cell and he saw many things at once. A short dark haired girl with freckles living on the streets. Starving, no parents or siblings, not even a name to call herself. Dirt covering his freckly face, rags and torn clothes barely keeping her from being exposed. They weren't even actually hers, she had found them from another person's laundry and taken them for warmth._

A _man coming by dressed very nicely in ornately designed clothing, talking about taking her away and giving her a better life, and a new name as well. People in white robes bowing before her after she had been cleaned and bathed and fed probably the most ever in her short lifetime. Growing up and feeling needed by these people, even if she wasn't this goddess figure they kept referring her to._

 _Marleyean_ _officers raiding the home she had for a time now, rounding all the people up and aiming a rifle directly in her face. Her foolish attempt at saving the worshippers by taking the blame unto herself. Being dragged through the internment zone in chains as rocks and curses were thrown at her and the people who took her in, still being punished as she was. And finally..._

 _A massive wall nesr the sea, on her knees like all the rest. Hands bound from behind, and injected with a serum that would make them into monsters. Screams and cries_ _"Like I wrote, I went along with the lie to save others, to matter to them. And when it backfired on me, when I was sentenced to Paradise, I thought it was a punishment for lying to myself into thinking I mattered to anyone. But than you came, and I was free, free to make the right choices now that I had a second chance. Eventually I met Historiaand saw myself in her. I tried to save her, by telling her to stop trying to please others for lies._

 _I wanted her to be herself, to be real, to be what I wasn't for so long. And finally she did, she took back her name, she confessed to me after I showed my secret to you 4. And I guess I wanted you to do the same, because I saw you were like me in that regard as well. You believed a lie all your life, only to find out the lie you lived there was in fact the only truth you've actually known. It's hard I know, but I guess I just wanted to be the good person again, even with all the shitty things I've said and done._

 _She saw that side of me and still fought for me, and I'm sure that if she were to find out about yours, that she would stick up for you in some way as well. I just wanted to be the good person that Historia saw me as, even when she knew I wasn't. And it felt nice... to do that for you and Bertoldt. I know you two had no choice but to go on what you might have not believed, but what your realities were. So before I drag this on much longer just please, please be who you are no matter what._ "

" _Don't let your sins or your situation stop you from running towards your future, your freedom. Just promise me that you'll decide Reiner, even when I finally go. Promise you'll do the right thing when the time comes."_

 _Reiner looks_ _at her and feels ashamed at himself for doing this, for bringing her to this land only to be devoured. He reaches out to her between the bars and she raises an eyebrow at his hand, before walking her way over. She touches his hand after some hesitation and after she does he tells her low "Ymir I promise, to Historia, to them... that I'll do the right thing. It may not be right now, but it will happen. That's the best I can promise you. Again I'm sorry for this."_

 _Hearing these words, Ymir looked down and seemed to have a small smile grow on her face._ Reiner felt his eyes water a little as he recalls this too, another soul lost to hatred and ignorance. One who lived in pain and torment, escaping it for but a blink of an eye before her flame was extinguished in a tragic fate of cannibalism.

 _She looks up and gives another sad smile, and walks to her bed. "Guess thats all I can ask. Thank you Reiner."_

"No, thank _You_ Ymir. You really were a goddess." Reiner said this quietly to himself, although Eren managed to catch it.

He was surprised when he gave a more observant look at Reiner and saw that _this_ really was the moment that changed him. Of all things, it was the girl who used to fight him tooth and nail over Historia in their cadet days. The girl who ate his comrade and friend, the reason he became the armored titan to begin with. And one of the reasons he was able to escape back to Zeke and to Marley 4 years ago. The girl named after the Eldian goddess and first titan shifter. The Devil of Marley.

Ymir.

Eren decided there was enough of this reminiscing and told the other three that it was time to go. "Well I think we've all seen just what we needed to. Let's return shall we?"

Gabi, Reiner and Falco and found themselves once again in Reiner's living room with Mikasa standing guard near the window and Eren sitting in front of them in his chair. It felr both surreal and disorienting to be back here after "standing" for so long watching things from Reiner's mind. Eren himself was already moving past it, having done this a few times before during the experiments Hange had him undertake on Paradise. But still as a precaution, none of them tried rising from their chairs.

Eren was the first to break the silence atter a quick nod to Mikasa to reassure her that he was in control and perfectly fine. "Well that was _interesting_ to say the least. I do feel odd but good about saying that I can put my trust in you again Reiner, well done. Gabi and you too, Falco, I would like to know what your two's thoughts are on the situation between Eldians and everyone else. Speak your minds." He finished before giving the two young cadets the floor.

Neither of them wanted to go first, but knew that they weren't exactly free to just walk out of here either. Especially with the man's step sister keeping her cold gray eyes on them, her gaze only broken by the occasional blink or glance outside. Although they could tell it was mostly to keep watch for Reiner's mother Karina, Falco was leaning towards the feeling of more "friends" coming to the house. Looking towsrds Gabi's unsure face in light of such Revelations about Paradise island from the person who she believed suffered the most there, and decided to step up to the task.

"Mr. Kru- _Jaeger_ , I still don't like that you deceived me all this time but I do see the truth from Braun san. I always knew how we were rrested was wrong, but I didn't want to caude ripples that would trouble my family any more. I heard about what happened to my uncle years ago when he was caught as a Restorationist. He was taken to Paradise and became a titan." Falco finished and Eren cocked his head to the side when the boy spoke no more.

"I know that, after all I was the one to kill him." Eren said which made all of their eyes widen in surprise. Eren then went on to explain. "Five years after the first wall fell the second attack began, and before I was aware of my power I charged into battle with the rest of my squad, only to have my leg bitten clean off before I could even land a single slash. Soon after I was swallowed whole and awoke inside of a titans stomach, one I would later break out of by transforming and tearing my way out. Your uncle tried again to attack me... and I ended his pain in my bloodlust." Falco understood and appreciated the wording Mr Jaeger used instead of just saying he killed him.

"T-thank you. For ending his suffering." Eren nodded and added a few more interesting facts none of them knew aside from Mikasa, who saw something that msde her eyes widen a tiny bit as she looked outside the window. The half asian slowly made her way towards the door, ready to answer without causing a commotion to anyone outside who might be watching. A few more minutes, just to be safe.

"My father was a key member of the same restoration group, he knew your uncle well. Many of the titans who I and my friends fought during the day of the second attack _were_ the Restorationists, and they'd been that way since my half brother sold them out to Marley." Hearing something that caught her attention, Gabi spoke for the first time since leaving Reiner's mind.

"Wait, you have a half brother here? Who sold your father and them all out?" Seeing Eren nod she and Falco awaited for him to reveal the name, but both of them were far from ready as to _who_ it was. After all it was one they knew very well.

"His name is Zeke Jaeger."

Their jaws dropped, and Reiner's suspicions from earlier were confirmed. The two shared the same father, but obviously different mothers. However the father survived the titanizing punishment by Marley, he made his way towards the walls, met Eren's mother and sometime after the Fall, given hin the powers of the Attack and Founding Titan. He didn't know the whole story, but because of his current and delicate position Reiner would wait to ask Eren about it. If he could offer up his memories even for the sake of getting his cousin and another innocent kid on the right side, then eren could humor him with telling him the way he got his powers.

It was something he'd been curious about ever since Commander Erwin's speech upon joining the Scouting legion. All he ever knew about the subject was that the key to the information behind the titans was inside Eren's basement in his hometown, the one he took back after beating his ass with hardly any effort. Other than that, it was a blank slate that could hold a few possibilities-

 _Knock knock. Knock... Knock._

Everyone turned to stare at the door, where Mikasa gave a knowing look towards Eren which he returned and simply said "Let them in, it's been long enough." Mikasa nodded and opened the door and saw who was on the other side, and gave a rare small smile to the two toned man, the shorter bald one wearing a sun hat to protect his head, the red head wearing her blouse and hair tied up. A nod towards her good blonde friend wire rim glasses carrying a suitcase and a simple indifferent glance to the other short blonde woman with pigtails wearing galsses with a bored look on her face.

"Hi Jean, everyone. Come inside."

One by one they made their way inside, the appearance resembling a family arriving for dinner all at once, happy smiles or simple nods to Eren before taking their spots around the room. All except for the last one who after the door had been closed immediately undid her hair from its disguise and freed it, much to her pleasure. She then stared hard at the blonde warrior she used to train with and against with fierce and damn near unforgiving eyes. The only thing she noted that was positive about the situation was that Eren appeared to be in good spirits, which mattered a great deal to her. Finally she spoke to the stunned man before her who she hadn't seen since the day of the 57th expedition. The last time she wa red to and nearly killed him.

"Hello Reiner."

The Armored titan could only display his shock so much without outright falling out of his chair. The only word he could get out of his mouth was her name.

"A-Annie?!"

.

Authors note 2.

I bit off a little more than I can chew at the moment, but believe me I'm gonna chew until I'm finished and keep on going. Not only do I have my first and main SnK/AoT story Wings Of A Warrior to write for, I have another SnK one (Awakening), and this one which is harder to do than the rest because its almost fully au with manga elements. I have a Tokyo Ghoul story that's just getting fired up (One Rung Up The Food Chain), and I've recently just started a small story into the Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid series which I loved called Goddesses Need Love Too if y'all are interested. And that brings me to the second minor part of my absence.

As soon as I posted the last story I got two very hateful reviews from an anonymous guest whom I've grown a hatred for. Now while that ain't gonna stop me from writing it just pissed me right the hell off that I received those hateful remarks. And I know it's also the same person who leaves similar reviews to other stories like mine in the franchise just because most likely their a sad pathetic person who should learn to chill the fuck out and leave people alone just because their stuff isn't what you want. So I'm gonna keep on writing for ALL my stories, and I will never stop. Even if a story gets no updates for a long time, keep faith because it probably means I'm working on another story that needs some chapters. So rest assured I will keep writing for my stories no matter how long the delays.

I know this one will sound a bit silly, but also part of my absence is I've been watching many Anime series I never actually got to finish. And some of the endings kinda messed me up, either mental mind fucks (Neon Genesis Evangelion and End of Evangelion ESPECIALLY.) to Future Diary messing with my feels for the ending, even with Redial Ova making things sweeter. Also Deadman Wonderland, the ending was weak but overall I enjoyed it alot. Probably will read the Manga for that later on. Also have gotten into Overlord and LOVE it. Attack on Titan S3 has also been out and I'm excited that the current arc is coming to a close and one of my favorite ones is soon to be animated. Also My Hero Academia has been getting more intense and I always watch that on Saturdays after Cells at Work! which has been such a fun series and I'm sad that it's coming to a close soon. Also I've been watching Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and absolutely LOVE it, and have finally after hundreds of memes decided to get into JOJO'S. I regret nothing except having little time to write at times. So forgive me, I watch tons of anime and read waaaay more fanfiction. Anyone who's seen my profile or reviews on dozens of stories can attest to that lol. Some of you hopefully understand that one.

Final note, after some persuasion from a great friend and fellow writer, I've thought of also putting my stories on Archive Of Our Own, where my account has the same name as this one. I've already had success putting the first two chapters of my Tokyo Ghoul story on there, so slowly but surely I will be putting the rest of my stories on there as well including a possible remaster and updated version of this one. Also I've gotten Tumblr back where I'll also announce updates, same name as on here. It honestly makes some things easier to just use it for as long as I have. If any of you think or would like to see this story as well as my other works on there, just rell me in your reviews or a PM to me. I always respond to them, usually pretty damn fast.

Hope that cleared some things up, once again I'm VERY VERY sorry for the delay. **Now onto more current events since part of the above it copied from another story's secondary author note which was the last story I updated before this. I've finished MANY series, and also gotten into a couple as well. Few of my favorites these seasons have been JoJo's part 5, Rising of the shield hero (I SOOOOOO WANNA WRITE A FIC FOR THIS!!!), the Promised Neverland, Dororo and Mob Psycho 100. Needless to say, this year has been pretty good so far, but we got One Punch S2 and soon Shinganshina arc from AoT S3 part 2!!!!! I myself am hyped beyond bekief for the soundtrack alone, I'm a bit of an audiophile (MAJOR) so i can only imagine the tracks tbeir going to use for all the great stuff we'll see finally animated. As for the manga stop now if you arent caught up completely.** **.** **.** **.** **.** **.** **.** **.** **.** **.** **.** **.** **.** **.** **.** **.** **YOU THOUGHT THIS WAS THE MANGA DISCUSSION, BUT IT WAS I DIO!!!!!!! JK Keep going!!!!** **.** **.** **.** **.** **.** **.** **.** **.** **.** **.** **.** **I for one am very VERY surprised by a few things (almost everything) going on right now. I mean yeah Eren and Zeke agree to euthanize their own kind to save their race but i doubt whoke heartedly that Eren is _actually_ on board with this. Eren has akways been freedom first, no matter the cost. Zeke's plan completely goes against EVERYTHING he's ever fought for, and if he were to do it, it would make evryones sacrifice be in vain, including his mother's. And zeke i know feel Soooooo good about hating once more. "saving" your race by making sure they can't breed is completely counter productive and exactly what the world wants. He was self genocide so bad? he should've just eaten eren, gain the kings influence wimhich majes him a depressed piled of shit that lets everyone die and thats that. im pretty sjre ere s just using zeke for the right time to take his blood. I sense a rumbling coming one way or the other.** **Pieck drawing a gun on eren was unexpected but certainly the most interesting thing to me, only overshadowed by one thing...** **.** **.** **.** **.** **WAS THAT YMIR FUCKING FRITZ WHO MADE ZEKE A NEW BODY?! I mean I can see why sone would think she would bring him back so that he could do the body modifications to his race, but I think it's more so for Eren to have his tool in prime condition for whatever he's _REALLY_ planning. Overall things have been pretty tense, and levi almost died (damn, not just yet eh?) I still don't like the guy, he's overrated beyond belief and overmarketed. call me biased, but seriously only Ackerman I ever liked was Kenny. Cause he was badass and a great baddie for his arc. now for one complaint about the manga...** **.** **.** **.** **.** **.** **.** **.** **WHERE _THE HELL IS ANNIE ALREADY? WHEN WILL SHE AWAKEN?! LIKE GEEZ THIS STORY WILL BE FINSIHED BEFORE ISAYAMA EVER FREES HER!!!!_ Hell i bet one piece will be finished before she gets out of that fucking crystal. seriously author, get her out!!!!** **.** **.** **.** **Well I've ranted enough, its about time to finish this chapter. I'm SUPER THANKFUL for eveyone whose sruck with this stoey for this lonv, and i appreciate all the support and reviews along the way. i got nostalgic going back and seeing how things used to be when i wrote more than twice a week. I still can't believe i used to write _everyday_ for all of my stories, but it's that kind of overdrive that sort've almost deove me to no longer write. but boys and girls, ladys and gents, titans and humans, JoJo's and vampires,** **I. Am. Back.**


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